“Great joy propelled these stargazing, wisdom-seekers to find the one for whom they longed with their entire being. Going into the house, the Maji saw the child and his mother Mary. They fell down and worshiped Jesus. Then, opening their treasures, they presented him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.” (Paraphrase of Matt.2:11-12)
Lord Jesus, whether we are kings or carpetbaggers, highly religious or cynically unbelieving, proudly ethical or shamefully amoral—there is a gravitational pull in our hearts to seek you, for we have been made by you and for you. We can deny it, dance around it, despise it—but our hearts will remain restless until they rest in you… or rest in you again.
You are “the dear desire or every nation and the joy of every longing heart,” as Charles Wesley so aptly put it. True wisdom is (1) to seek you, (2) to be found by you the real Seeker and Finder, (3) then worship you with everything we have and are. And it will take all eternity for us to begin to give you the worship you deserve, Jesus. For you are the one who came bearing gifts for us. Indeed, you have come to be our ‘righteousness, holiness, and redemption” (1Cor.1:30). You have come bearing the gifts of personal salvation, cosmic redemption, and evil’s eradication—among SO many more grace-gifts.
Come Herod or high water, heartaches and hardships, those you’ve come to save will come to you, Jesus. Drawn by providence or pain, a visitation of angels or the witness of a friend, supernatural revelation or ordinary circumstances—your every-nation, cannot-be-numbered Bride will gather at the wedding feast of the Lamb. It’s the meaning of history and the measure of your grace. Hallelujah, 10,000 times over!
Jesus, supersize the chambers of our hearts to make more room for you and the wonders of your love this Christmas. It’s you we want more than a Hallmark Christmas Story. So Very Amen.
