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Tuesday, Dec 22 - Who Am I (4)?<br />
Some nativities include the wise men who traveled from afar to visit the young child, <strong>Jesus</strong>.<br />
Really, these figures don't belong near the manger. I suppose if I were to be correct, I'd place<br />
them across the room somewhere. I don't know when they first saw the star, announcing the<br />
birth of the King of the Jews, but <strong>Jesus</strong> was almost, if not, two years old before they arrived.<br />
Another thing, we don't really know for sure, is that there were just three of them. There could<br />
have been 300...Scripture doesn't make it clear. We simply know they gave the little King three<br />
gifts. And, they weren't really Kings, they were "wise" men, smart men, knowledgable in the<br />
sciences, the study of the stars, agriculture, mathematics, as well as, political and religious<br />
information.<br />
These "wise" men had been around since Daniel's day (see Daniel 6), and had probably come<br />
from as far away as <strong>Baby</strong>lon (currently the area around Baghdad). Undoubtedly, they had been<br />
greatly influenced in Judaism, and possibly had benefitted from the legacy and prophecy of<br />
Daniel, himself. Other than this, we don't know a lot about these men...they were strangers on<br />
the scene, but strangers who rattled the courts of King Herod, and all the chief priests, for sure!<br />
Yet, come they did, and a very long way (out of their way) just to see this special child and<br />
worship Him! We can learn much about worship from these men. In fact, all I really know<br />
about the wise men is how to experience true worship!<br />
As we wind down the Advent season, this is a perfect time to contemplate our worship of the<br />
King of Kings. What does it look like to worship? How can I, just like these wise men, come to<br />
him with a whole heart prepared to honor Him on the day of his birth?<br />
Worship often means stepping out of my comfort zone. Just as the magi went out of their way,<br />
true worship means I may struggle with some feelings of mental discomfort. I go the extra mile...<br />
True worship includes physical expression. The wise men "rejoiced exceedingly with great<br />
joy" (that doesn't sound like reverent whispers to me!). They "fell down and worshiped him."<br />
True worship gives. "Opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts..."<br />
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