The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Matthew 2:9-12, “And having heard the king, they went their way; and lo, the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them, until it came and stood over where the Child was.

10 And when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.

11 And they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshiped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.

12 And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their own country by another way.”

King Herod thought he had successfully deceived the magi, when he told them to find Jesus and return and reveal to him the Child’s whereabouts. Being wise, they may have detected the deceit in Herod’s mind. In any event, upon leaving they saw again the star which had guided them thus far, and determined to follow it. After all, the star had led them this far, why would they not continue to follow it?

Commentators over the years have launched multiple ideas as to what the star exactly was. Some say it was a meteor; some venture so far afield as to deny its very existence. But why should it be thought that the God who created the very Earth on which man lives could not design and use a genuine star for such a momentous occasion? Sometimes we believe the LORD for a miracle and then humanize it when it comes.

It is noteworthy that God will always guide those who are seeking to find the Savior.

Time had indeed lapsed from the point of the Child’s birth to the coming of the magi. When the shepherds came to the manger in Bethlehem they found a ??????, brephos, a newborn child. When the magi came to Him, they found a ???????, paidion, a young child in a house (?????, oikia), not in a manger (?????, phatne).

The magi did homage to the Boy by humbly prostrating themselves before Him in worship.

It was customary in those days to bring gifts to distinguished persons; thus, they brought to Him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Gold is the metal of kings. There was no gift so precious as gold. Frankincense was a gum, derived from incisions in the bark of a tree. It gave forth a sweet and pleasant odor, when burned, and often used in worship. Myrrh, too, was from a thorny tree, but gave forth a bitter and most unpleasant odor. It was used for embalming the dead and preserved the body from decay. These three gifts were exceedingly valuable and had meaningful significance to the life and death of the Savior.

All of this raises the question of whether we bring Him the best of what we have. That He is our King, our Savior, our LORD, demands that we yield ourselves and our most prized possessions to Him for whatever disposal He desires. There is no greater gift we could offer than our love and devotion. Giving yourself to Him for whatever use He desires is paramount. Forsaking all, we follow Him. He lovingly cares and preserves our lives as they glorify Him. As it was with His Son, Jesus, so it should always be with us.

Lovingly and prayerfully yours,

Nana & Dado III

(Rose Marie & Gene)

P. S. Rose Marie is now back in rehab at the Jamestown facility in Rogers, Arkansas. She is progressing

nicely and gaining strength daily. We are so grateful for your prayers! May the LORD bless you

exceedingly!

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”