What Child is This

Have any of us ever wondered about what the Magi may have known that set them on an incredible journey to find a baby in a far off land? It had to be something significantly more than just a prophecy about a future king. Then, when they found Jesus, they did not find a child living in a fine palace as they may have expected, but simply the child of a carpenter living in what must have been a modest home. There would have been nothing apparent that set this young family apart from their neighbors. So, what was it that the Magi saw that affected them so much that they felt the need to worship this toddler.

It is amazing to think about these wise and learned men traveling all that way, then when reaching their goal and finding the child, they felt the need to not only marvel at the young boy, but to bow down and worship him. It is truly an incredible story of an incredible journey.

Matthew 2:10-11 tells us, “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.” Clearly they had intended to bring gifts to this future king, but then to bow down and worship him? These wise men did not have the history of Jesus’s ministry to reflect on when they decided to worship this child. One has to wonder about what it was that they saw in Jesus that moved them so? Unfortunately, we can only speculate.

However, when each of us comes before Jesus, what is it that we see? What is it that causes us to bow down and worship him? Let us meditate on these reasons as we come before our Lord and Savior in prayer. 

Let us come to Jesus and lay what precious gifts we have at His feet and worship Him today. May we give Him our gifts of service and love, of faith in who He is and acknowledgement of all that He has done. May we worship Him with a pure and humble heart as we lay our gifts before our Lord.

As the saying goes, “Wise men and women still seek him today!” May each of us seek our Lord today, and every day, for the rest of our lives, and let us cling to this reminder found in Jeremiah 29:13 that says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”