After this interview the wise men went their way.
And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem.
It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was.
When they saw the star, they were filled with joy!
They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary,
and they bowed down and worshiped him.
Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts
of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Matthew 2:9-11

I admit I am fascinated with any thing – sermon, song, image, etc. – that put the cradle and the cross together. There’s a Relient K song called “I Celebrate the Day” (check it out here) with the lyrics “I celebrate the day, that you were born to die, so I could one day pray for you to save my life.”

And there’s another song I love called “Born to bleed” by Ed Cash, Alan Levi that goes: “He was born to bleed away the sin that covers our guilty hands. Born to rise from Calvary, he was born to save every man.” (I couldn’t find it anywhere on youtube, sorry!)

And then there’s a a song called “Little Bethlehem Town” by Jars of Clay that includes the lyrics “Oh, Mary, Joseph, rest your eyes, and try not to think of the ending, world full of empty he will die, but tonight he is still just a child.” (check it out here – the video is of a dance done to the song, but it will give you a chance to hear this beautiful and haunting song.)

As the wise men bring their gifts to the Christ child, the story of who this child will become is told. Gold is for a king, and frankincense indicates the presence of God, and then there is the myrrh. Myrrh was used in the ancient world in preparing a body for the grave.

I think I love that because it reminds me that Christmas isn’t just about the pretty little baby. It’s about the man that baby would become and the sacrifice that man would make so that we could have peace with God.

Take some time to say a prayer of thanks for the full meaning of Christmas tonight!