Why Gifts?

Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Good morning, Lord

Father in Heaven, I seek You first-the knowledge of Your kingdom and Your righteousness. Fill my consciousness constantly and complete Your joy in me as I take up my cross and follow...In Jesus' name…

Memory verse: Psalm 27:13-14 (NIV)

“I remain confident of this, I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

Verse of the day: Isaiah 7:14

14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Today’s reading: Hosea 5-8 Revelation 2

Why Gifts?

Why do we give gifts at Christmas? Let’s look at the wise men and then check our motives:

Matthew 2:10–11 (ESV)

10 “When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.”

The wise men knew they were worshiping the child born King of the Jews(Matthew 2:2). A new born would not know they were there, so why gifts? The wise men could not expect anything in return(no gift exchange expected-no future favors expected)so why gifts?

We must see that worship came first. They knew Jesus was King of the Jews and they knew that God had put a star over Christ to lead them there. Nothing like this had ever happened in the lives of these wise men. They somehow knew this was a divine event and that Jesus was worthy of their worship. They worshiped before anything else.

Yes, there is significance in the oil they brought(used in burials) and gold is valuable above all currency.

But they brought precious gifts to show that they already perceived Jesus as more precious than the best they could offer.

What is the best we have?

The best we have is our love. There is nothing more valuable to God than our hearts. This is why He gave us His Son. The gift of Christ-His only Son-is the greatest gift God could give. Along with life in Christ comes everything else we could ever need.

Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? “

The wise men were in awe of Christ Jesus. From this ‘awe’ comes worship.

Christ Jesus is the place of all good things in our lives starting with our salvation in Him.

Where is our awe? How deep is our worship? Is Christ worth more to us than our ‘stuff’?

Go to God and look at your life and then tell God you want to lift Christ up in your life more than you ever have.

...because He loves you, He will do it...

Father in Heaven,

Place in my heart the desire to hallow Your name. Let me know Your kingdom. Give me the desire to give you all I have to give today. Forgive me my greed and worldly desires.

Lead me away from evil.

Gracious Father,

In the name of Christ Jesus,

Amen