A Picture of Intentional Worship
A Picture of Intentional Worship
“Where is He who is born King of the Jews?” This question is loaded with transformational curiosity that if asked with the same heart as the Magi will lead us to a life of intentional sacrifice and worship. I use the word “intentional” deliberately. The effort and expense it took for these men to find this King must have been exorbitant, yet their persistence led them to a position of humility staring into the eyes this child King. Let that sink in for a second. What had those eyes seen? What were they yet to see? It must have felt like this child staring back at them was reading their thoughts and gazing into their soul. Because of the humble setting I’m sure the Magi wondered why this King wasn’t in a palace being attended to by servants. Nevertheless, the star led them here and they came bearing gifts.
Everything about this story speaks to the importance of seeking Jesus, presenting Him gifts, and worshipping Him with full intentionality. The Magi weren’t looking for someone who would “become” king. They were looking for the ONE who was born King! It’s understandable why Herod, Rome’s installed king over Israel, would have been infuriated when these seemingly important men from the east, while standing right in front of him asked where THE KING was. They weren’t settling for a substitute king, and we shouldn’t either. Of all the things vying for our devotion only one deserves our full intention, and it would be in our best interest to take our cue from the Magi and not accept anything but the real thing.
The way these men “bowed down and worshipped” Jesus is nothing short of inspiring. The picture we see here is of someone lowering themselves to the ground, as low as they possibly could go, and posturing themselves in a position of humility before royalty. This begs the question, when was the last time we bowed before Jesus in this manner? Not just the posture of our heart but literally bowed low before him in a humility recognizing him as King. It’s been too long for me. In full transparency, it sometimes takes a desperate situation before I find myself on my face before Jesus. Though I’m confident He welcomes our cries during these times I want to often bow before our wonderful Savior no matter what situation or circumstance I find myself in. The worship they offered was much different than what we’re accustomed to today. I would guess there wasn’t a word spoken. Quiet, bowing before the child King. Let me be clear about something, I am a worship junky. I’m constantly in search of that new song that will transport me to that place of uninhibited worship. I literally have a play list called “Throne Room” that consists of songs I imagine being sung in the presence of God. Crazy right? This worship experience was different though. There were no instruments playing, no singing, just a silence and stillness in the presence of the King. I bet the atmosphere was palpable. I think we need more silent and still moments before Jesus. No music, no words, simply bowing before him in humility and worship.
The gifts the Magi brought to Jesus were prepared with a king in mind. I’m not sure they knew how significant the gifts were, but they had both intrinsic and prophetic meaning. The gift of gold was one that recognized Jesus as King. It recognized his sovereign authority and represented a deliberate transfer of power. Only Jesus was worthy to receive such an elaborate gift. The gift of frankincense was given to recognize Jesus as High Priest. Frankincense is an incense typically presented by a priest as a sweet fire and smoke offering to God. A priest gift of incense represents prayer. Its smoke-filled offering is a visual reminder of our connection with God through Jesus. The gift of Myrrh was given to recognize Jesus as a conquering warrior and is a strange gift for a child. Typically used in medicine, perfume, or embalming most scholars believe it was given for its medicinal properties or financial value and that it was to foreshadow the kind of sacrifice Jesus faced. There’s so much more to be said about the gifts themselves but the thing I want to point out is the intentionality behind each gift. They were gifts that were thought out, prepared, and given with the purest of motives and this is how I want to present my gifts to Him. I want them to be thought out, prepared, and given with the purest of motives. I want to give with a spirit of generosity, serve with the heart of a servant, and lift people up the way Jesus did. I want to encourage, inspire, and motivate people to acts of love and good works. I want all these things to be gifts presented to my King.
So, it’s Christmas and I want to encourage you to follow the example 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, frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11
Merry Christmas from our family to your!