After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’” –Matthew 2:1-2

I realize most of us have heard this story many times. But I thought I’d share a short summary of what stands out the most to me at this time. You may read Matthew 2 here: Bible Gateway.

The wise men—after traveling thousands of miles to see the king of the Jews—responded with worship and costly gifts. They gave of their best. Bible students see their gifts as a symbol of Christ’s identity and what He would accomplish:

• Gold – a gift for a king
• Incense – a gift for deity
• Myrrh – a spice for a person who was going to die

The Magi’s approach to simply worship God for who He is stands in stark contrast to many people’s approach today. Our culture tends to breed expectations of God that center around us: our comfort and convenience. How often do we expect God to seek us, explain and prove Himself, and then bless us with gifts?

Joseph received divine guidance to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt so Herod couldn’t kill Jesus. Like Joseph, are we receptive to God’s guidance? Are we preparing our hearts to discern God’s leading by spending daily time in His Word and in prayer?

The following music video is for all my drummer friends (and those of you who just like drums) Merry Christmas!