Worship and Offering

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

The Magi, whoever they might have been, and wherever they might have come from, left us with four great tips on how to be a follower of Christ:

1. Keep your eyes on things above.

2. Follow the Light.

3. When you encounter the Living God, bow down and worship.

4. Give of yourself as an offering.

Yesterday we saw how points 1 and 2 place us on the right track to meet and experience a personal relationship with the Living Christ. Today, points 3 and 4 show us what to do when that track brings us to Him, to Jesus, Our Lord and Savior.

The Magi kept their eyes on the Star and did not get distracted by the schemes of Herod. They followed the Light until it brought them face to face with the One they had been looking for. And what did they do when they found The Messiah? They bowed down and worship Him.

What else can we do? There is really nothing else…the awe of the divine encounter moves us to our knees and opens up the floodgates of praise and adoration, for even the stones cry out in worship when facing the Divine.

Like the Magi, He leads us to Him so we can have a personal encounter with Him.

In my life, I have experienced these types of encounters particularly when navigating the choppy waters of a storm. Then, there comes a moment in between the tossing and twisting of my boat when, if I have kept my eyes on Him and off the waves and the wind, I’m able to discern the Hand of God guiding me through the tempest. At that moment of realization, I’m struck by His Power, Mercy and Love, and there is nothing else for me to do but to bow down and worship Him.

Even if things don’t resolve the way we want them to…seeing the perfection of God’s plan in the middle of our struggle to accept it, gives us a sense of the magnificence of His designs which leaves us bent at the waist, head down on the ground.

That’s the moment when we give ourselves as an offering, as “a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship.”(Romans 12: 1)

That’s the moment of surrender … that’s the moment we say: My Lord and My God. (John 20: 28)

May the fast approaching celebration of our Savior’s Birth bring us down to our knees in worship and adoration…and may each gift under the tree be just a pale reflection of the greatest offering: the giving of oneself.