Practical Provisions

December 23rd, 2020

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Matthew 2:9-12, NIV

I imagine the Magi, or Wise Men, were very disheartened by their time spent in Jerusalem. After a long journey from the East, they were unable to find the King they sought and learned little was known concerning his birth and they would need instead to continue searching in a new city. The star was a much needed encouragement to the wise men as well as a very practical guide to Bethlehem and the King they were searching for.  

The gifts presented to Jesus by the wise men of gold, frankincense, and myrrh were gifts fitting for a king. Gold, as a precious metal, was an acknowledgement of royalty; frankincense was acknowledgement of Jesus’ priesthood, and myrrh was anointing oil connected to death and burial (a little bit of a depressing gift for a new mother to hold, yet beautiful in light of her understanding of Jesus’s purpose). The gifts given to Jesus were both symbolic of who He is, but also practically met the needs of this young family as many scholars believe these gifts were used to support their time living in Egypt.  

This passage ends with a dream that warned the Magi not to go back to Jerusalem. This dream was God’s way of providing protection to Jesus from the harm Herod would bring to him. 

This scripture is a reminder to me of the way God has continued to provide throughout my life. At times it is hard to see exactly how God is working, or at times I can wonder if He is even near, but being able to remember God’s faithfulness in the past allows me to have faith in the present.

What times in your life has God provided in either a practical or supernatural way? 

Prayer: God, thank you for the ways in which you provide for me. I pray you can help me remember your faithfulness in the past to increase my faith in the present. 

Garret Mater