Matthew 2:1–12 (NIV) After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’” Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 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 and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
I remember growing up, Christmas had a distinctive smell to me.
It is the smell of freshly painted rooms (because that was a tradition for us at Christmas, cleaning and painting the inside of the house)
It is the smell of ham, cakes, and bread baking in the oven throughout the two days before Christmas.
I am transported back immediately to my childhood when I smell these smells.
The Christmas story is filled with smells as well.
There is the smell of a stable, hmmm.
There is the smell of frankincense and myrrh.
These smells are significant to me.
The stable smell is a reminder that the God of the universe chose to be born in a lowly place.
He was brought immediately into the stench of the world. God did not protect His Son from the harshness of human existence. He experienced life as a common man so we would know He walked in our shoes.
He was given frankincense and myrrh. Now we’re talking; gifts fit for a King! But an interesting choice…myrrh. Myrrh was used for treating wounds and pain and was an important ingredient in embalming bodies.
Jesus’ birth was replete with the smell of sin and death. But we need to be reminded that this was exactly why He was born – to die so that we could have life. His death was the sacrifice needed to make us clean – so that we could stand before God the Father without the stench of sin and death upon us anymore.
ENJOYING THE JOURNEY
As you enjoy the smells of cookies baking and all the other delicious smells of Christmas let it remind you to give thanks; for now, the stench of sin and death is no longer upon us.
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