Gold

"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."
- Matthew 2:11 (NIV)

Almost everybody who has heard the story of Jesus has heard the tale of the wise
men bearing gifts. They came from far off in the East, following a star, and
found baby Jesus in the little town of Bethlehem. There, they bowed and
worshipped Jesus, then presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and
myrrh. We'll look at the gifts of frankincense and myrrh in the coming days, but
today, let's focus on the gold. Why would they give gold to the King of kings?

First, gold is valuable. Gold is rare, beautiful, and very useful. Most women
prefer gold jewelry over something cheaper. It neither tarnishes nor rusts. Gold
has held its value over the years. Until recent times, many countries backed the
value of their currency by the gold they had in their treasury.

Secondly, gold is refined. It is mined from the earth, melted at high
temperatures, and purified. Think about what you'd rather receive: Impure metals
that turn your skin green or 24 carat pure gold. You'd pick the pure gold,
because it's worth more. What better gift to offer the Son of God than that
which is refined? That's why God requested the holiest of items be made of gold
when He gave Moses the plans for the Israelite's place of worship (Exodus 25).

Because gold is so valuable and so hard to obtain, giving it would be considered
a great sacrifice. And yet, these wise men were quick to give up their gold to
the newborn King of Israel. In light of this offering, what can you offer God
that is both valuable and pure?

Think About It...

What does this devotional reveal to me about God?
What does this devotional reveal to me about myself?
Based on this, what changes do I need to make?
What is my prayer for today?