Wise Men Still Seek Him

GIFTS OF THE MAGI
"AND WHEN THEY WERE COME INTO THE HOUSE, THEY SAW THE YOUNG CHILD WITH MARY, HIS MOTHER, AND THEY FELL DOWN, AND WORSHIPED HIM: AND WHEN THEY HAD OPENED THEIR TREASURES, THEY PRESENTED TO HIM GIFTS:; GOLD, AND FRANKINCENSE AND MYRRH." - MATHEW 2:11

THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE TRADITION OF GIVING GIFTS AT CHRISTMAS. SINCE THE ONLY GIFTS WE CAN GIVE JESUS NOW ARE OUR LIVE AND OUR SERVICE TO OTHERS, WE CELEBRATE HIS BIRTH EVERY YEAR BY GIVING TO OTHERS.
WHAT EXACTLY ARE GOLD, AND FRANKINCENSE AND MYRRH AND HOW DO THESE GIFTS RELATE TO CHRIST?

GOLD:
A PRECIOUS METAL, GOLD IS REMARKABLE FOR IT'S BEAUTIFUL COLOR, IT'S DENSITY, AND IT'S FREEDOM FROM RUST OR TARNISH. IT IS WIDELY FOUND IN NATURE AS A FREE METAL BUT ALWAYS IN SMALL QUANTITIES. IT IS USED FOR JEWELRY, ORNAMENTS, GUILDING AND COMBINED WITH OTHER METALS FOR COMAGE. THROUGHOUT HISTORY IT HAS BEEN CONSIDERED PRECIOUS AND A SYMBOL OF WEALTH.

FRANKINCENSE:
FRANKINCENSE IS A SUBSTANCE THAT EMITS FRAGRANCE FROM OLD WORLD BALSAM TREES. IT IS CONSIDERED A LUXURIOUS INCENSE. FRANKINCENSE WAS BURNED BY BOTH EGYPTIANS AND JEWS IN THEIR RELIGIOUS DEVOTION. IT IS STILL USED TODAY AS AN INCENSE.

MYRRH:
THE ANCIENT HEBREWS REGARDED MYRRH AS ONE OF EARTH'S MOST PRECIOUS AND VERSATILE PRODUCTS. AS A MEDICINE IT HEALED THEIR BODIES, AS AN INCENSE IT LIFTED THEIR SPIRITS, AND AS A PERFUME IT PLEASED THEIR HEARTS. MYRRH IS A LOW AND BRANCHY SHRUB OR TREE WITH WHITEISH/GREY BARK AND BEARS FRUIT THE SIZE OF A PEA. THE RESIN FLOWS NATURALLY FROM THE BARK FORMING SOFT REDDISH BROWN DROPS WHICH GRADUALLY HARDEN AND FORM THE MEDICINAL GUM MYRRH. THEY POWDER READILY, GIVING OFF A PLEASANT FRAGRANCE, AND THE TASTE, THOUGH BITTER, IS NOT UNPLEASANT. OF THE THREE WISEMEN, BELIEVED TO BE MEMBERS OF THE CASTE OF PERSIA, ONE CONSIDERED MYRRH TO BE OF SUCH EXCEPTIONAL VALUE THAT IT WAS OFFERED BY HIM AS A GIFT TO THE INFANT JESUS, THE HIGHEST OF KINGS.