Sunday, September 22, 2013

A Gift to Your Soul

Everybody likes to receive gifts.  Of course I know that you have a good heart and you like to give gifts more than receive them, but let's be honest for a moment here.  Everyone likes to get a present every once in a while.  But I can't imagine being the mother of a two year old and receiving gifts like gold, frankincense, and myrrh in their behalf for their birthday.
But let's remember, this was no ordinary toddler.  This was the Son of God.  I never really understood what some of these gifts were until this past week.  Gold is, of course, a gift for kings.  Frankincense is a type of incense that they would use in the temple, representing the prayers of the people as it went up to the heavens.  Finally, myrrh is an anointing oil and embalming agent that was very costly.  This shows us that the wise men not only knew who the child was, but what He would grow up to do and become. Christ is the King of Kings.  He is our intercessor with our Heavenly Father when we pray.  He will later be crucified and lay in the tomb for three days, anointed with oils until He is resurrected.  This symbolism amazes me!  The wise men knew how important this little child was.  They knew how He would be the Savior for each of us.  I think that is incredible.
Now we are going to fast forward about 30 years.  One of the first events of Christ's ministry that we talked about in class was when He cleansed the temple.  He reminds everyone that this was His Father's house, a very sacred and special place.  Now, in First Corinthians, Paul also tells us, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God?" (1 Corinthians 3:16).  Let's connect these two statements for a moment.  If Christ can cleanse the temple, and we are the temple of God, wouldn't that mean that He can clean us?  Why yes, it does.  He can help us cleanse ourselves so that one day we can return to live with our Father in Heaven.  He wants to do it!  He wants to help you.  We just have to let Him in.
Do yourself a favor.  Give yourself a little gift.  Today.  Right now.
Let Him in.

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