Monday Devotional: December 27, 2021

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12

Can you imagine what it was like? What were Mary and Joseph thinking when some men, clearly from a distant land, got down on their knees in front of a child… not the child of a king or noble but the child of a carpenter? Rich men, men of learning, men from the East worshiped Mary’s son and gave him extravagant gifts. Why?

Certainly nothing in Jesus’ outward appearance warranted this type of worship. A carpenter’s son living in the tiny town of Bethlehem would not ordinarily have received these gifts. There must have been something more to this child. These men from the East must have known something about this child that not many others knew.

This child certainly was different. As his life plays out before us on the pages of Scripture we watch as he changes water into wine. We marvel as he makes life-long paralytic, and blind people walk and see. Our breath is taken away when, with a word, he gives life to what was dead. Our heart breaks as nails are driven through his flesh. Our eternal life is secured when he bursts forth from the tomb.

It turns out that the child in Bethlehem was a King, he was worthy of praise. He may not have looked like it then, he certainly did not look very kingly on the cross but with that Magi we have no choice but to bow and worship this King. God revealed to them that his boy was special. In the pages of the Bible we too learn just how special he is. He came for me and for you. He came to save us from our sins. Praise God, bring your gifts before him! This boy in Bethlehem is the Son of God come for all people; people from every race, tribe and nation that ever was and ever will be.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we praise you because you sent your Son at the appointed time to die for the sins of the whole world. You orchestrated history so that your plan for salvation could be carried out through that boy in Bethlehem. Help us to recognize the gift of Jesus as something worthy of our time and money as the Wise Men of old. In Jesus’ name we approach you as dearly loved children. Amen.