Every year, during the Christmas season, the story of Christ’s miraculous birth is played out on stages and pageants all over the world. The marvel of faith in the young woman Mary, the determined and compassionate, espoused Joseph, the angels glorious announcements, the lowly shepherd’s searching for the new-born King, all of these aspects of the entrance of Jesus into humanity are remarkable in themselves. Yet, one aspect of this amazing event stands out this year more than others.
The Magi might be looked at as the first gift-givers during this season, and yet the Scriptures recount it differently.
“For here is the way God loved the world—he gave his only, unique Son as a gift. So now everyone who believes in him will never perish but experience everlasting life.” John 3:16 TPT
“For God has proved his love by giving us his greatest treasure, the gift of his Son. And since God freely offered him up as the sacrifice for us all, he certainly won’t withhold from us anything else he has to give.” Romans 8:32
God wrapped His Gift in human flesh, delivered Him into the womb of a young woman, allowed Him to be revealed in a stable of shepherds, as the angels announced His glory from Heaven. Mankind has never received such a precious treasure. The Orient kings understood the value of what God had “gifted” to the world, as they lavished their own gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh on the young child and his parents.
Might there be a holy hush in hearts this year to reflect the enormity of what Heaven gave to earth? As the kings of old “who bearing gifts, traversed afar,” placed immense value on heaven’s present, may this season hold hearts in awe of heaven’s fortune wrapped in swaddling cloths.
