The First Gift of the Magi

"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 and of incense and of myrrh."
Matthew 2:11 (NIV)

The countdown is almost over. One day left! It's Christmas Eve! For many the actual giving and receiving of gifts will begin tonight. This year as my family nears the exciting moment of squealing children and rooms filled with torn wrapping paper, I am continually drawn back to the book of Matthew and his account of the first gifts given to the Christ child. We are told from early childhood of these gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Every year we sing carols about them. We watch small children clad in Daddy's bath robe carrying foil wrapped boxes and pretty glass bottles from Mommy's china hutch, depicting the memorable moment of the first gifts offered to the King of all kings. As I've grown older the true meaning of this offering has settled in and I find myself awed at the weightiness of the actions of these Magi, "Wise Men", "King Makers" of the East.

This year as I studied Matthew chapter 2, something struck me that I had not noticed before...a fourth gift. Yes, I know of the three gifts of the Magi, but I found that before any of these costly, precious and meaningful gifts were given, one even more costly, precious and meaningful was laid before the tiny King. Verse 11 tells us that when the Magi came to the house, "they saw the child with his mother". Upon fist sight of him, "they bowed down and worshiped him". The words used here in the original Greek speak of prostrating oneself, bowing down with one's face to the ground. They speak of complete supplication and submission. This is true worship; complete submission of oneself. The first gift of the magi was themselves. They fell down and worshiped, offering their lives in submission before this new king. It wasn't until after they offered worship that they "opened their treasures and presented him with gifts."

The first gift of the magi...worship. Isn't that what Christ desires from us? As we follow him, we learn to give him everything that we possess, but that is not what he asks for first. Before we offer Christ anything at all, the most costly, precious and meaningful gift He desires from each of us is worship...an offering of our lives wholly submitted to Him.

So tomorrow morning, instead of waiting for my children to awaken me with squeals of delight and excitement, I have decided to start my Christmas morning in the same way the magi started their gift giving experience. I will wake up a little earlier than usual and begin the day of celebration on my knees, face bowed before my King, offering the only gift He truly desires, Me.