Home  Devotionals Thursday, December 24, 2009
|
|
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 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. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. Matthew 2:9-12 Giving and receiving gifts at Christmas has become just as much a part of Christmas as Christ himself. The union of Christmas and gift giving actually began in ancient Rome where gifts were exchanged during the New Year’s celebrations. Although this started out with simple gifts such as food and homemade items, it soon turned into a commercialized process that invoked greed and envy.
Early Christian church leaders tried to outlaw the custom, but people cherished it too much to let go. A Christian justification for the practice was then emphasized: the Magi’s act of bearing gifts to the infant Jesus, and the concept that Christ was a gift from God to the world, bringing everlasting life. Here we are in the 21st century with stores littered with Christmas decorations and toys for all ages beginning in October each year. Although the idea of giving a gift to a loved friend or family member is a noble one, I challenge each of us to think about our motivations involved in gift giving and receiving. Is there a better avenue to give of ourselves than to purchase gifts for others? How can we use our God-given talents to give to others this season? Let’s spend some time in prayer with God, determining how we can be used to demonstrate God’s love through His son Jesus this holiday season. Susan Rose |
|
