Worship Jesus for What He Has Done—Our Savior
We all know the story of the wise men that brought Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. I never truly understood the meaning behind each of these gifts. This devotional really helped me to understand why they chose these specific things to give Jesus and the significance behind each one. I hope it helps you understand too.
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Day 4
What’s the best gift you’ve ever been given?
Maybe it was just a thoughtful, well-timed gift that someone you love surprised you with. Maybe it was a gift that cost more than you think you deserve. Maybe it was something you never even knew you wanted.
Even though we could never deserve it or earn it, Jesus made a huge sacrifice just for us. While we were still sinners—knowing our mistakes and before we could ever love Him back—Jesus chose to die for us so that we could choose to have a relationship with God.
That fact alone should fill us with wonder and gratitude—and like the wise men, it should cause us to worship.
As they worshiped Jesus, the wise men gave Jesus a final gift: myrrh.
Myrrh had many different uses but was mostly associated with suffering and death. Myrrh was used as an anointing oil in the Old Testament to prepare the temple and priests or leaders. It was also used in the New Testament as an embalming oil and as a medicine that eased suffering for people being crucified.
Just like the other gifts, myrrh foreshadowed who Jesus would be:
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- The Anointed One. Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit to preach the gospel, to heal us, and to set us free (Luke 4:16-19).
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- A Suffering Servant. Jesus didn’t drink the myrrh to ease His torment on the cross (Mark 15:23). He took on the full weight of our sins and took on all of the pain and suffering for us. And throughout His ministry, we see Jesus’ servant heart.
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- The Ultimate Sacrifice. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice—His life for ours. He suffered and paid for sins He never committed.
As you think about all that Jesus did and accomplished during His ministry on earth, let yourself be led to worship. That worship can look like a lot of different things. Maybe it’s showing Jesus gratitude by praising Him for who He is. Maybe it’s suffering for Christ. Maybe it’s extending Christ-like grace and love to others. Worship is something the wise men modeled for us that’s still completely relevant in our lives today.
The holiday season can get so busy, and there are so many moving parts. Like the wise men, may we remember and honor the gift Jesus gave us. May we never get so busy or distracted that we forget to remember the One we’re actually celebrating and the best Gift we have.
Pray: Lord, thank You for suffering for me and giving me the best gift of all—Your life. What an awesome gift and sacrifice you made, Jesus. I honestly can’t thank You enough. Please remind me of Your grace and Your love today, and help me to have the same sacrificial and servant heart You do. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Practice: Take the extra time or energy to extend grace, love, or kindness to someone today.
Accompanying bible verse
AMP Version
Matthew 2:10-11
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And after entering the house, they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then, after opening their treasure chests, they presented to Him gifts [fit for a king, gifts] of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Romans 5:8
8 But God clearly shows and proves His own love for us, by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Exodus 30:22-29
22 Moreover, the Lord said to Moses, 23 “Take for yourself the best spices: five hundred shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much—two hundred and fifty—of sweet-scented cinnamon, and two hundred and fifty of fragrant cane, 24 and five hundred shekels of cinnamon blossom according to the sanctuary shekel, and a hin of olive oil. 25 You shall make of these a holy anointing oil, a perfume mixture, the work of a perfumer; it shall be a sacred anointing oil. 26 You shall anoint the Tent of Meeting with it, and the ark of the Testimony, 27 and the table [for the bread] and all its utensils, and the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense, 28 and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin [for cleansing] and its base. 29 You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy; whatever touches them must be holy (set apart for God).
Mark 15:23
23 They tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh [to dull the pain], but He would not take it.
Luke 4:16-19
16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. 17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,
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to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord [the day when salvation and the favor of God abound greatly].”
Romans 12:1
1Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is within you, whom you have [received as a gift] from God, and that you are not your own [property]? 20 You were bought with a price [you were actually purchased with the precious blood of Jesus and made His own]. So then, honor and glorify God with your body.
The gift devotional Day 4
Read day 2 of the devotional here
Read day 3 of the devotional here