December 4th
What is the most important thing to take on the quest to follow the light? A telescope? Good traveling shoes? A warm blanket…lots of food? No, the most important thing to take…gifts! Really? Well, if you think the light will take you to a person who will end the darkness and bring light to the world, wouldn’t you want to honor them? Thank them? Worship them?
What kind of gifts? I suppose the best you have. For these wisemen…the best they had was Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. We understand the value of Gold…who doesn’t want it! But Frankincense? Myrrh? These are used as incense, something that smells good. They were used in worship, medicine and preparing bodies of those who had died. They are only available from a small region in the world…parts of Africa. To get them you have to cut the bark of the tree and let the sap run out and harden before collecting. This process is slow. So, acquiring these hard resin pieces was difficult and the demand was high and so was the value. It seems they really thought about what was their best to give.
Psalm 56:12 & 13 fits the Wisemen and their desire to give gifts of thanks. READ
What is the best gift you can give the light the wisemen are following?
Add something to your group of wisemen to remember that they are bringing gifts on the journey.
Pray: Dear God, this Advent help be to remember to give you my best every day. Amen