First Three Gifts on Christmas

What are you getting for Christmas?

The Christmas season involves lists of gifts we will be getting or receiving from others.  The stores are packed with shoppers on their mission to finish their list and checking it more than twice.  

In the story of the birth of Jesus, we are told of when the three magi brought gifts to the newborn. This moment has been depicted in Christmas plays in churches for hundreds of years. The gifts were not something we would give someone, nor do they seem very practical for a baby such as clothes, diapers or toys. The wise men brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

What were the meaning of these gifts? 

GOLD
The meaning gold was to symbolize what Jesus was going to become king. Gold is a precious metal and as such was a very valuable commodity. Its value could very well have financed Joseph and Mary’s trip to Egypt. 

FRANKINCENSE
I’m sure you are puzzled about the gift of frankincense. I can’t help to think of Frankenstein, but this gift has nothing to do with the fictional monster. Frankincense is A fragrant resin or gum which was used in temple worship, symbolizing Jesus' divinity and priestly role. It is obtained from a tree by making incisions in the bark and allowing the gum to flow out. It is highly fragrant when burned and was therefore used in worship, where it was burned as a pleasant offering to God.

MYRRH
Myrrh was an expensive spice used for anointing the dead, symbolizing Jesus' humanity, suffering, and sacrificial death. It’s kinda strange giving a gift for his future death. Myrrh, which is product of Arabia, was obtained from a tree in the same manner as frankincense. It was a spice and was used in embalming. It was also sometimes mingled with wine to form an article

Frankincense and myrrh were precious commodities from the Arabian Peninsula, traded by the Nabateans, suggesting the Magi's origins and the gifts' significance as tribute or diplomatic offerings. Both resins had medicinal properties and were used for healing and in perfumes, offering practical benefits for the family.

These were some strange gifts for a baby on that first Christmas morning, but the birth of Christ wasn’t about the gifts the wise men brought to Him but the gift that God had given the world and all of mankind from that day forward. 

What gift does Christ want from us?  He just wants a relationship with us.  He doesn’t want our money or any gifts from us.  His most precious gift is our love for Him.  Sounds too easy?  It does but why make it complicated?  Religions want to make it about keeping rules, being perfect or your church attendance.  Are there standards Christ wants us to live by?  Yes, but we often make the mistake in leading with that instead of the relationship we have with Christ.  When we have a relationship with Him, those things will follow.

Merry Christmas Everyone!  Thank you for reading my blog throughout the year.