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In more than three decades of my Christian life, I have been blest by 2 types of Daily devos'
(matter not exceeding 500 words) in universal Christian literature. Not only those Devos'
which have a different theme everyday but also the ones which revolve around a certain
theme over a period of time, say a fortnight, have richly edified me. In fact, both
styles have their own inherent advantages. If the former style caters to the varying
spiritual needs of a christian from day-to-day, the latter aims 'to ground'
a child of God in a certain subject in order he derives the full benefits of the
deep insightful study of a certain topic, spread over a fixed span of time.
In my Daily devo page, I have consciously tried to go in for 'a blend of both the
styles' whereby within a constant theme, I would be aiming to focus on different
facets of it which admittedly is a closer imitation of the 'Constant theme' style
than the 'Varying topics' one.
As the month of December coincides with the Christmas season, in this month I intend to
dwell exclusively on all the topics revolving around Christmas using the visit of the
Wise man described in Matthew 2 as the base.
Let me wish you a happy and an edifying read… oh yes-MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF US!
Suresh Manoharan
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December 13th
Worshipping with gifts…
On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother
Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. 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 and of incense
and of myrrh. - Matt 2:11
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A closer examination of the act of the Wise men worshipping will throw-up so many
insights. They did not merely restrict themselves to falling prostrate before
the Christ-child, as worship in those times, entailed but they went one step
ahead…’they opened their treasures’.
Not for them mere lip service when it came to worship, which is the bane of many a modern
church. Mouthing of a few ‘Hallelujahs’ and ‘Praise the Lords’ is nothing more
than mere ‘noise’ to the Lord, if it is not accompanied by generous giving to
Him borne out of an adoring heart.
What about us? Is our worship nothing more than a physical act of kneeling and getting up or
something more substantial than that? Do our hands suffer from a temporary
paralysis, when they have to go towards a purse during Church service? In the
case of Wise men, there was no such temporary paralysis, as their hands went
readily towards the treasures and gifts, they had brought forth to their Lord.
It is indeed worth noting that true worship would always lead to sacrificial
giving from time to time. Even as we give liberally to Him or for His work,
let’s never forget the fact that we can never out give Him, who has given His
all for us (
II Cor 9:15)
In the days to come, let’s meditate on each of the gifts, which they had brought to the Lord,
for behind each gift, there is a latent meaning… remember not for nothing, they
were called the ‘Wise men’! So it follows that behind selection of each of
their gifts, oozed wisdom…Spirit-inspired wisdom!
Prayer:
Father, we can never adequately repay you for all that you have done for us. Put in us
that generous spirit to contribute liberally for your work, which would be
small measure of our love for thee. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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