We have all heard about the wise men who visited Jesus sometime after His birth. We are told (not by Scripture) that there were three of them, and most nativity scenes would have us believe they showed up at the same time as the shepherds. The truth is that the Bible doesn't specify how many there were (only that there were three types of gifts) or exactly how long after Jesus' birth they found Him.Here is what we do know for sure:
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:
‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah;
For out of you shall come forth a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.’”
Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.”
After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way. (Matthew 2:1-12)
We know the above details are true because they are in the Word of God! Isn't it wonderful how we can trust and learn from His Word?
I want to be wise. I'll bet you do, too! What can we learn from these men who were known to be wise?
They studied. They must have been students of at least portions of the Old Testament Scripture to know the prophecies of the birth of the King of the Jews. Certainly they studied science/astronomy to be able to know the star to follow. What can I do to be wise? I can study Scripture and be knowledgeable about what is going on in the world around me!
They followed in obedience. Some estimate that these men might have traveled 800-900 miles to find Jesus. That's not something most people would do on a whim. They were confident that the Lord would lead them in the right way. They knew they were called by God to follow that star! What can I do to be wise? I can trust God's leading in my life and follow it, knowing He will never lead me astray.
They worshiped Jesus. These men "rejoiced exceedingly with great joy," and, "fell to the ground and worshiped Him." What can I do to be wise? I can choose joy in every circumstance and purposefully worship the Lord every day--not just Sunday at church!
All of the above led to this moment.
Their treasures!
"But I don't have anything worth all that much," you might say. I would say that same thing sometimes!
Is that what Jesus would say, though? I mean, He made us, and He paid the price to redeem us! Have we heard it so much that we forget what it really means? The high, high price we could never pay on our own . . . we were doomed before He stepped in and suffered tremendously to pay it for us.
We are valuable to Him. Our lives are the treasures we can choose to lay down at His feet.
"But all I feel like I have to offer right now are brokenness and loneliness," some might think.
So, lay it down.
Yes! Lay it down at His feet! Whatever it is that burdens you, He invites you to cast it on Him because He cares for you! Depression. Anger. Addiction. Bitterness. Grumpiness. Stress. Anxiety. Greed. Impatience. Attention-seeking.
None of the above sounds like treasure.
The treasure is in trusting our Savior enough to surrender it. We don't deserve in our own right to be able to do that, yet it's what He offers us. Not only does He offer, but He wants us to allow Him to carry our burdens. He wants us to!
We don't have to travel hundreds of miles to unpack our "treasures" before Him. Right now, wherever we are, He is before us. Let's lay it down, sisters!
