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Matthew 2:11b “Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.”

One of my utmost favorite things to do as a mom–is making stories come to life to my children. If you are a good friend–then you have seen my story telling and the animation that goes into every story they hear. You want a good story to tell your children? Well, today’s Journey with the Magi will have them listening, learning and on the edge of their seats in amazement at how detailed and purposeful our God is! I don’t know another way to explain how to tell your children this…other than exactly how I told mine…so here goes…

Now–as you know the Magi had just finished worshiping Jesus…they were on their knees—and it was time to present the gifts they carried and protected for almost a thousand miles…over desert and valley and even through times of peace and war. Finally they were here–and can you imagine how excited they were?! Don’t you remember the feeling in your hearts??? When you have found the PERFECT gift…the gift you feel God Himself laid on your heart to surprise someone you couldn’t wait to see with—they thought they would RUN right up and give Jesus the gifts when they saw Him…but their hearts were overwhelmed His presense and they worshipped Him first.

Now while we know very little of where these wise men are truly from–tradition has passed down where many in the early church said they were from. And OH MY–were they long awaited for!!! Even books in the Bible said they would come!!! Psalm 72:10-11 “The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts, the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute. All kings shall pay their homage, all nations shall serve Him.” Isaiah 60:6…”Caravans of camels shall fill you, dromedaries from Midian and Ephah; all from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense and proclaiming the praises of the Lord.” CRAZY that even the old testament said they would come…many, many, many years before Mary or Joseph or Jesus Himself was ever born!!! AND although we don’t know exactly where they were from tradition in the early church has said one was from Ethiopia…another possibly from Iran or Eqypt…some have said the east (China). Since the 7th century–they have been identified as Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar—and there is even a historical document written in 735 that tells us a little bit about each of them. NOW…keep in mind this isn’t written in the scriptures–but this could possibly be who they are…and we do know their gifts and what they meant…so let’s meet them!

First–meet Melchior…it is said he was a very old man with white hair and a long beard (Parker and Laney think we need to paint this one now:)(So…this is the younger Melchoir). It is said that Melchoir brought GOLD.

GOLD? Can you IMAGINE?! Oh my!!! Gold was meant for KINGS!!! Kings were the ones who had all the gold…and they were the ones that received gold as gifts in their honor. Can you imagine—I mean…really–can you IMAGINE what Mary was thinking? “MY SON??? You are giving Him gold. Gold is for kings…gold is for KINGS…it is TRUE–my son…the KING of KINGS!” He brought the gold and there he laid it at this baby’s feet. A gift for a KING…

Then…came Caspar. Caspar was said to be young and beardless and to have a ruddy complexion…(Yep–you guess it…Laney and Parker want to take away his beard now:)It is said the Caspar brought frankincense.

FRANKINCENSE??? Well…lemme tell you about this one! Frankincense comes from a tree called Boswellia…you create frankincense by slashing the tree–making it bleed resin and the resin eventually hardens which they call tears. Many priests would burn the tears–or FRANKINCENSE as an offering and it was also used for anointing by priests. SO…frankincense was something priests owned and others offered to priests as a sacrificial offering for anointing. He brought this gift that belonged to priests…and laid it at Jesus’s little tiny feet. Again…can’t you hear Mary’s wondering, “For my son??? A priest? He will be a KING and a PRIEST!?” Oh how this mom I’m sure was treasuring this all in her heart!

Then came Balthasar, black-skinned and bearded…(Laney and Parker had just about had it—they insisted we paint Balthasar…so we added a quick craft session to our devotion time last year on this night:)This Magi is said to be from Ethiopia…and he came last. He brought the gift of myrrh and laid it at his feet.

MYRRH??? “Oh wait,” Mary thought. “There must have been a mistake. Myrrh? For my little one? Maybe that was all this kind Magi had to give. Did he mean to give me this?” You guys know the feeling…you have gotten a gift before you just weren’t sure was really meant for YOU. But you are polite and you accept it. Mary thought more, “Why would this sweet soul bring us myrhh? This is what we use to heal wounds…to put on our loved ones when they die…to put in their bodies after death to keep them perserved a bit longer…he’s just a baby…” And I have a feeling Mary again–treasured these things in her heart.

As a family–take time to go back through the gifts and let them marvel in how they RELATED to Jesus…how they really were intended just for Him. Gifts for the King of Kings…the most High Priest (after all…when he was cruicified–the curtain would be torn and no longer would the high priest have to be the one who spoke on behalf of the people to God…ANYONE could because THE High Priest had come!) And…the myrrh…hard to take in…BUT take heart—because HE has overcome the world and through Him we have a relationship with Him…and life eternal.

Dear God,
Thank you for sending Jesus–to be our KING, to be our High Priest and to be the Lamb of God–to die for us so we might have eternal life. What a gift!!! We, too, want to come and bring our gifts to You Lord. Help us use our gifts for Your glory and to bring others to know You. Amen.

How did you see Jesus today??? Ask Him to speak to you, work through you and love through you as the day goes on. Ask Him to fill Your cup today–with His Holy Spirit…and to shine His presence through your life.

Blessings to you all today!

P.S. We’ll be doing Day 7 on Monday! So, if you are following along with us on the Journey of the Magi…see you then! Happy New Year!!!

Today is the 4th day in our Journey with the Magi. The children run to find them…to see how far they have traveled…and we sit and remember…

The Magi–they had made QUITE a name for themselves. Word spread throughout the nations that there were 3 distinguished, wise men who would stop at nothing to visit a baby said to be the Messiah. Through desserts and battles–hungry and tired–they made their way. As the months passed many would tell stories of their seeing the magi themselves. And before long–Kind Herod himself heard of their quest to see a soon-to-be king—and his not wanting anyone to be ruler other than himself–he knew the only way to find this king–would be to call in the three men who were said to know the way.

Matthew 2:3-10 “When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where Christ was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'” Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.”

I remember the FIRST time I read this story to my children. They began shouting, “Herod was tricking! Herod was tricking!” Yes–this is true. Herod did NOT really want to see and worship baby Jesus. We know this–but in the moment…the wise men did not. The wise men had traveled through hardship to finally feel as if they were being favored and welcomed in the presence of the king. Being summoned by King Herod and asked to help him would have been an honor–and they believed him as they had no reason not to. God didn’t unveil Herod’s dishonesty to them until later to protect them as well.

It would not be until a dream later they learn otherwise, but for now–remember they didn’t know any different. I’m sure when they discovered the truth, they felt deceived and even couldn’t believe that they were almost used to reveal the location of Jesus to the very ruler who wanted to kill him out of jealousy. The ONE man who wanted to do away with Jesus was able to talk with the 3 who knew where Jesus was. What are the chances?! What the enemy meant for evil–God would use for good. (Over and over again we see this in scripture–how what man means for evil God can turn around and use for His good! Remember Joseph and his brothers–and Joseph’s words: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.”Genesis 50:20 What a beautiful picture of Christ to come!).

Herod was “tricking”!

He intended to use the wise men to find baby Jesus who he felt would be a threat to his place in the kingdom. The wise men told them exactly how they were getting there and exactly what direction they were going in. They even agreed to come back and get King Herod after they located him! BUT THIS–this was NOT in God’s plan. And nothing can thwart (change) God’s plan!

Isaiah 14:27 says, “For the LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?”

The Lord Almighty had a purpose for the wise men–and ultimately for Jesus Christ–and not even the king of the land could change that! The wise men never took their eyes off the Lord and they continued to follow the star He told them to. In the right time, when God knew the wise men would understand–He would reveal what He needed the wise men to know about Herod to protect them and for His ultimate plan.

The Lord has called us to be wise and to put our trust in Him alone. There will be times in our own lives when we are lied to or someone tries to trick us into doing something that isn’t in the Lord’s plan–and that is why it is so important for us to keep our eyes focused on Jesus and to put or trust in Him alone. We have to be careful not to listen or trust just anyone because of who they are or who they say they are–and ask the Lord for discernment and peace in the way He has chosen for us to go. The wise men would have much to risk by not obeying the king’s orders—but they had much more to risk if they didn’t obey the Lord.

The wise men are getting closer to the manger…

They have seen the star—and tomorrow will be grand as they worship this babe they have traveled through desert, storm, army to get to him…for weeks, months and quite possibly over a year. And when they drop to their knees in worship…their hearts will know the journey was worth it. I can’t wait to share this tomorrow with the littles!!! I think a few songs about the Magi will be in order!

Dear God,
We thank you that NOTHING can change your plans! We ask that you would be over all the details of our lives and that you would give us wisdom in the way to go. We ask for discernment when someone tells us something we are not sure about–and that ultimately we would hear from you and be obedient to you. Thank you for being BIGGER than any problem or person that would attempt to change your plans! How exciting to know you have a plan for our lives that no one can touch as we trust in you! Amen.

How worth it this journey is. To hear a little one saying, “I saw Jesus in the dark clouds…there was a beautiful bright light behind them and it made me think of Jesus.” To share with them how amazing this is because Jesus is the Light in the darkness–and the Light of the world. The words of a child…“I just saw Jesus all over my heart today over and over again. And my heart kept making me do nice things.” This is seeing Jesus on our journey. What a treasure to write these down and put them in our treasure box to present to the King and encourage us along the way.

The Road Less Traveled… {Day 3}

The Magi’s journey required traveling through this…And more of this…And I bet you have never thought about it—but did you know it also required traveling through this:

And if the only way for them to find the baby they sought to bless was by following this…

THEN…it meant they could only be directed when most of us like to sleep.

It. Was. Not. Easy.

It was probably one of the most ambitious journeys ever attempted during this time!

He who called them would lead and guide them.

BUT as they went through this…

And more of this…

And EVEN this…

I bet there were times they wanted to turn around. I bet there were times they questioned if this was really what they heard God say. I bet they wondered if they were on the right track.

He who called them would protect them. The word had spread–and they would need protection from thieves who had already heard of their incredible venture as indeed each town would meet them and hear their story–and the word would pass of this unbelievable story from reputable travelers who were known to be wealthy and carrying gifts.

The Lord who called them would also protect them from the territory they traveled through that was ruled by the Roman Empire. Have you ever thought that it was God’s protection asking them to follow a star?! Although at first the thought of following a STAR seemed wild—although at first realizing they would only know their way BY NIGHT when they could actually see the star–they later would realize that God has a purpose FOR THEIR GOOD–EVEN though it might not have made a lot of sense at first. HE CAN BE TRUSTED and He leads and guides us for our good because He loves us!
The Magi would travel at night which would help them when traveling through dangerous territory–and in the daylight they would have to some times hide in protection and rest for night ahead’s journey.

Some times the Lord will lead you into what will FEEL like periods of hardship or dark times to actually protect you and ultimately bring you to the place He desires you to be, to bring Himself glory, and to help YOU see His glory and experience Him fully.

There were days and weeks where the wisemen were afraid. There were days that they questioned if this WAS REALLY God’s best for them–was this REALLY what God wanted them to do–did they hear Him right?! Was He calling them to the dessert to be attacked, hungry and tired? Would His revelation really be at the end of their journey? Would it really be worth it?

Remember there were many days and nights of uncertainty and darkness in the journey of the Magi. We have the privilege of knowing the END of their story–just as God sees the end of yours. We can imagine the glory they experienced as they saw Jesus as a little one–RIGHT BEFORE THEIR EYES. This was worth traveling for! And God sees our future and knows the days He calls us to follow Him in the darkness will ALSO be worth it as we keep going toward Him.

Trust Him in the dessert, and trust Him in the darkness. He is always with you and with Him you have nothing to fear. He will give you strength…protection…and nourishment for your journey just like He did for the wisemen–just keep looking for Him and seeking Him—and as you seek Him, you will always find Him.

Has there ever been a time when you questioned if God was really with you? Have you ever want to give up on the thing you felt the Lord asking you to do because you couldn’t see the end in sight? He is with you. He will not forsake you. He longs for you to trust Him–in the good days and in the hard days. Like the wise men, it will be worth it! In Matthew 25 Jesus tells the Parable of the bags of Gold where the master entrusts bags of gold to His servants. One works hard and does everything he can with what his master gives him–while another just hides what he is given until his master returns. When the master returns–he rejoices over the servant who multiplied what he was given and says to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:21) The Lord has given us gifts to use for His glory. He entrusts us to certain tasks to bring Him glory–and He wants us to shine before men to bring light to Him. It will not always be easy–and there will be some days like the wise men that it’s hard! But He is with us–and it will be worth it when we hear Him say, “Well done–my good and faithful servant!” He sees the end of your story–and He wants you to be reminded today that it will be worth it!

What are some ways you saw Jesus or felt His love today? What is something you can do in the day ahead to use your gifts for His glory?

Dear God,
Thank you for being with the wise men on their journey–for calling them to see Your glory and to have the privilege of traveling across countries just to worship you. So many you could have called–yet you called them because you knew they would hear your voice and they would obey. Open our ears Lord to hear your voice. We want to follow you when you call us–and we want to see your glory and worship you. Thank you for loving us–and for being with us through storms in our lives and always carrying us through. Amen.