Myrrh
Follow the star, come join in the fun!
Christmas is coming, the countdown’s begun…
But however many wise men there actually were
Day eighteen shows one of three gifts they brought – myrrh.
Listen to today’s reflection
Read
“On entering the house, the wise men saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”
– Matthew 2.11
Think and Do
Myrrh was used to prepare the bodies of people who had died for burial. A strange gift for a baby! But it was a sign that Jesus’ story would continue and he would grow up to die on a cross as part of God’s plan to save the world.
Make or draw a cross today and find a way to include it as part of your decorations as you get ready for Christmas. Somewhere among all the celebration is the rest of Jesus’ story.
Pray
Dear God, the cross seems like a sad sign in the Christmas celebrations. But help us to remember that both the manger and the cross are signs of your love. Amen.
Follow
Wrap up a Christmas present today and see if you can disguise it, so it looks like a strange gift inside. Or you might have a strange-shaped present you can wrap to remind you of this strange but important gift of myrrh.