“Then they opened their treasure chests and gave Him gifts of gold, frankincense and Myrrh” (Matthew 2:11).
Perhaps each of these gifts from the Magi were simply their way of honoring this new “King of the Jews” by giving Him what was precious to them. After all, gifts were commonly exchanged when visiting from distant lands. So perhaps gold was just gold, and the sweet resins were just intended to make Mary’s house smell nice. But there’s one interesting claim in the ancient world of Jesus’ time regarding myrrh. It was apparently applied to ease pain. This substance from the thorny “Commiphora” tree might have been a prophetic hint. There was indeed pain in Jesus’ future.
But there is application for us, because we also carry pain, sorrow, brokenness and regrets. Remember, Jesus Himself says, “Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I’ll give you rest.” And He defined His mission that day He stood up in His hometown synagogue and said the Spirit of the Lord had anointed Him, “to bring Good News to the poor, proclaim that captives would be released, the blind would see, the oppressed would be set free” (Luke 4:18-19). He was saying, “bring me all that pain, suffering and the doubts it brings.”
Jesus is King of Kings. Jesus is truly God. And Jesus is our burden-bearer, and sorrow-lifter. Jesus heals what is broken in us, if we’ll just bring it to Him. When we worship Him, even when pain, doubt or sorrow remains, we’re offering the most precious worship of all.
Give Jesus what He asks for. Come with the thorns, the wounds, the questions and lift up your praise to your King, God and Healer. He will lift you with His own wounded hands.
