What do I treasure?

As I watched the movie The Nativity I was again awe struck by the miracle of Jesus birth.  What a tremendous gift we were given.  I decided to read Luke 2 several times in the weeks before Christmas.  What struck me as I was reading this passage over and over again was the verse that says and Mary  "treasured all these things in her heart".  I began to ask myself  "what do I treasure?"  What have I treasured in the past?   What things have often consumed my heart and caused me to miss what was most important.   This last year I began seeking a different treasure.  Sanfilippo entering our lives would  begin to change my heart and would remind me over and over what was most important.  I would receive the treasure of brokenness. This treasure would remind me that even when life was hard I could believe that God was still good!  I desire more of his treasures to grow in my heart in the year 2011!  So my prayer this next year is that I would truly discover more, much more of the treasures of God. 

Treasures ~ gold, frankincense and myrhh were the treasures brought to the babe who was wrapped in swaddling clothes.  Treasures brought by the wise men who came and worshiped Him.  As I thought about each of these treasures that were brought to the baby Jesus ~gold ~ which represents his royalty, gold was a very expensive gift, much like today.  Frankincense ~  a rare and expensive incense that had a sweet smell as it burned and was used only in worship to God.  Myrhh ~ an expensive perfume that was most often used in burials.  So it was possibly given to Jesus because he was born to die. 

So as I think about the treasures that were given to Jesus, the savior of the world, I wonder how can those gifts, impact my life today?  How can I be changed by these treasures?  I know that those gifts were given with hearts full of worship and praise for the new born king.  Maybe the gift for me and for us, is finding that same worshipful heart, seeking and praising him in new ways this year.  God bless each of you as you worship and seek after the babe who came wrapped in mercy and grace!  He who was given treasures and was Himself the treasure for me and for you!

Luke 2:19 ~ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Matthew 2:10-11 ~ When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.  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, frankincense and myrrh.