Attitude 2

Matthew 2:9-11

When I was about seven or eight years old my friend and I decided to have a party at my house. We invited some kids in the neighborhood and we planned a few games and a silly puppet show.

It was no big event, just a bunch of kids getting together to have some fun. But one of the other children, Brian, was apparently unfamiliar with our concept of a party. He showed up dressed in a small jacket and tie and bearing a gift.

The Magi from the story of Christmas have traveled a great distance to visit the new king of the Jews. They had seen a great star appear in the sky and knew it was a sign of a tremendous event. Their first stop was with King Herod, but there they learned that their search must continue. What was their attitude as they neared their destination? What did they do when they found the baby? What were their gifts?

It seems obvious that these wise men from the east were expecting to find a child of royal birth, or perhaps a great political leader who had risen to power in Israel. Their first stop was at the royal palace, but that wasn’t where the king of the Jews lived. They had to continue their journey until they found the humble home where a carpenter, his young bride, and their baby were staying.

There may have been a sense of confusion for these wise men. They seem to have been men of wealth and prestige, and here they were entering the house of an ordinary craftsman, a laborer, and not a home of a powerful and rich family.

Their gifts were expensive, rare commodities not found among the working class. They had exceptional spices and incense. They had gold. And the person to receive these gifts was a baby who was kept in a manger.

It seems apparent that the wise men were expecting one thing, but found something completely different.

As we enter this holiday season we may find ourselves expecting certain things. We may be expecting the holiday to please us with material gifts. We may be expecting a time of food and frivolity.

We may not be expecting Christmas to be a time of spiritual fulfillment. We may not be expecting God to touch our hearts and souls. But that might be exactly what will happen this Christmas. It is possible that we will find our holiday filled with the holy realization of God’s love and not the empty pleasures of materialism.

DAILY CHALLENGE: What can you do to make Christmas more of a spiritual experience this year?

Worship 2

Matthew 2:9-11

The holidays can become such a busy time. There are times when the schedule simply becomes overloaded – a holiday concert, the company Christmas party, a friend’s party, family gatherings, shopping. Such a hectic schedule can rob us of the joy that Christmas should bring us.

And who is to blame for all this exhausting pace? We can point the finger at this person or that, or claim it is just what happens in our society. But the truth is that we allow ourselves to feel frantic and we succumb to the pressures to be here, there, and everywhere.

In Matthew we have the story of the wise men, also called Magi. What led them? What was their reaction? What did they do when they saw Jesus?

These wise men – whether they are astrologers, sages, scientists, or scholars – had discovered a strange event in the night sky and knew that it was a sign of something powerful. They knew a great king was born and they had no intention of missing out on the event. So they packed up their gifts and traveled to Jerusalem to find him. Their first stop was with the current king, a bold move since this new king would likely surpass him.

But these were bold men. They were bold enough to travel a great distance to see the new king. They were bold enough to have an audience with the ruthless Herod. And they were bold enough to follow the guidance of a star to find the one they sought.

Ultimately they were rewarded by finding the baby, Christ, the new king, the Messiah. They had the opportunity to worship Jesus and offer him the gifts he deserved.

What about us? Can we be bold enough to resist the hectic schedule? Can we be bold enough to say “no” to at least some of the invitations, and instead spend some time as a family and with friends worshiping our king? The Magi sought him, found him, and worshiped. Will you find him and worship this year?

DAILY CHALLENGE: If your holiday schedule is filling up, take some time to add to it. Add “family time” or “time with friends” or “worship” to your calendar and then make sure you fulfill that appointment.