As I sat and listened to David Crowder sing "You Are My Joy" on itunes, I looked away from the Bible I had before me and reflected on the mess in my room. Wrapping paper and "not-yet" wrapped gifts surrounded me. It reminded me of a conversation I had with a friend recently. If indeed there were as many as a thousand people in the Magi Caravan that came to visit the toddler Jesus, there had to have been a ton of gifts. They were ecstatic to be welcoming the new baby king to the world. Of course, we have the three gifts mentioned that were symbolic of King, Priest, Savior. But surely with the massive excitement of this caravan came many gifts. My friend posed the question, "What do you think Mary and Joseph did with all the gifts?" Wow. I was stunned. I thought I knew every thing (just kidding). Surely, we don't know for sure; but I'm betting it was looking good for the neighborhood that had been kind to the poor newlyweds. When Jesus comes around, flowers bloom, people are healed, resurrected! Some noise is made. Angels made noise in the fields before the shepherds. The Magi made a dusty trail from the East. ---Lights are on roofs, around the hedges, families get together, people are nicer, closets are stashed with gifts, mommas are baking goodies...the landscape is transformed because something huge happened 2000 years ago. ---Don't miss out. God sent Angels to announce what He already had in print...He has spoken to people through dreams...and all this Scripture was fulfilled in public. ---Herod and the religious Jews weren't even curious enough to follow the caravan to see Jesus. Instead, they expected them to come back to tell them what they should have already known.---It is worth checking Jesus out. HIsStory is the only one filled with mystery and wonder that is true. ---And once you know Him, you and your house will be blessed...and hopefully your whole neighborhood.
