Hennie Symington

…and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew 2:11b (KJV)

It's the end of the year and our hopes for a blissful Christmas are running high. But beware the serpent in the grass. In our minds we all have already started making lists of things we want for Christmas. Some of us regard it as payback time for everything we did for everyone in this past year, while others simply can’t make up their minds what to buy their friends and loved ones.

What did Jesus get for Christmas? Have you ever thought about the significance of the gifts Jesus received on that first Christmas day?

Gold - the sign of kingship. As a king of heaven he deserved to wear a golden crown, but eventually ends up wearing a crown of thorns.

Incense - used during the burning of an offering and shows not only Jesus’ priestly office but could point to the sacrifice He made.

Myrrh - when the myrrh was laid at Jesus’ feet, a shiver probably went through his parents' hearts, because myrrh is used to anoint the dead. Like the others, this gift was also prophetic.

We don’t know what the shepherds brought the baby Jesus except the gift of their presence and their joy at the child lying in the manger.

What do you bring to Jesus? The best gift you can give to Christ is to show what Christ looks like in a world that has forgotten the true meaning of Christmas in the way you celebrate his birth, not only at Christmas but throughout the year.

Prayer: Jesus, Christmas without you is like Christmas dinner with no salt. You are the essential, eternal, wonderful God who became like one of us to show what God is like. Amen.