Advent 09 - reading eight

We have made it to the penultimate of our nine traditional redings for Christmas, and this week it is:

Matthew 2: 1–12

The Magi, wise men, travelers from the east... were probably people who watched the skies for signs and events, so when Jesus' star rose, they recognised it as something of importance, and not only followed it, but brought what they thought might be appropriate, with them: Gold for a King, Frankincense for deity and Myrrh for sacrifice and burial.

How right they were.

As you may have noticed in my previous post, this year does seem to be a time where people are stopping and looking. Looking to see how there must be more than buying stuff, more than broken communities, more than a broken environment.

Perhaps it is a sign. Or maybe we can make it one. As people begin to search for more, maybe we can be a star, leading them to Jesus.

Maybe, this advent, in the way we speak and act, we can bring appropriate gifts to Jesus:

the Gold of our lives given to the King

the Frankincense of our worship offered to our God

and the Myrrh of our lives given in service to Jesus.


And what that means for each of us may be different, but what ever God is calling us to do, now is the time to do it.
I mean, if the wise men had stayed at home, just like if the shepherds had stayed in their fields... they would have missed meeting the Saviour of the World.