LIVING WORD DEVOTIONAL
By Pastor Mensa Otabil_
Saturday 25th December 2021
WORSHIP CHRIST THE NEWBORN KING
Scripture Reading: Matthew 2
And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew 2:11
This is Christmas Day! Merry Christmas to each one of us. Today, we rejoice in God’s greatest gift to us – the gift of Jesus Christ. It is a significant day for people all over the world as on this day, we commemorate the birth of the great Saviour and Redeemer of all humanity.
It is a moment of great joy and celebration. We take time to visit family and share fellowship with friends and loved ones. We give gifts and receive gifts from others. But amid all the festivities, it is important to soberly reflect on the reason for which we celebrate Christmas.
God so loved the world that He gave His only Son for our redemption. It is a good time to think on Jesus Christ – who He is and what He came to accomplish on earth. It is possible to be caught up in so much merrymaking that you will forget about Christ and how God became a man to save us. Jesus must be honoured and placed right at the centre of the Christmas celebration.
The wisemen recognized the infant King they saw in Bethlehem as God’s greatest Gift to humanity. They kept Christ at the centre of their pursuit. Having travelled for two years, diligently following the star, they found Jesus and they worshipped Him. That is what we should do at Christmas; we must worship Christ.
In response to God’s gift, the wisemen presented gifts to Christ on behalf of all of us. They presented Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. These were no ordinary gifts: they carried prophetic symbolism that defined Jesus’ person and purpose. He was both King and Priest. They reflected His royalty and spirituality. We have a perfect mediator in Christ: the advocate between God and man.
This Christmas, make Christ the centre of the festivities. Worship the Child who was born and the Son who was given.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, you freely gave your Son to us. Today, we freely give our hearts, minds, and bodies to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.