Wise Men Still Seek Him

In a season of hurry and hype, it’s easy to lose sight of what really matters. The Christmas story reminds us that wise men still seek Him—not out of obligation, but out of awe, love, and gratitude for the God who gave first.

Isn’t it time you rediscovered joy this Christmas?

If you’re like most people, you get caught up in the holiday gift grind. You spend hours shopping, scrolling through deals, stressing over shipping, and in the end, it’s easy to forget what we’re really celebrating.

People think we give gifts because the wise men did. While that may be true, the real reason goes deeper. We give because God gave first. He is The Giver. He didn’t just give us a trinket; He gave us Himself. From the very beginning, God gave us the world, filled with beauty. And when we turned our backs, He kept on giving—His Son, His Spirit, His mercy, His hope. As James reminds us, “Every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). Every one. Not Amazon. Not Target. God.

Now here’s the problem: we’re made in His image, called to reflect His generosity, but most of us stop at wrapped presents under a tree. God calls us to more. He calls us to a life of worship, sacrifice, and obedience. And if you think that’s optional, you’re fooling yourself.

Wise Men Still Seek Him: The Call to Worship and Sacrifice

Look again at the story of the wise men. They were outsiders, pagans if you will. Yet they were willing to cross deserts, spend months on the road, and lay costly treasures at the feet of a child. They weren’t half-hearted. They weren’t looking for convenience. They went all in.

Now contrast that with the religious leaders in Israel. They knew the prophecy backward and forward. They even told Herod exactly where the Messiah would be born, just a short walk away in Bethlehem. But did they bother to go? Not a chance. 

They had all the head knowledge in the world, but no heart to seek Him, and they missed the King. That ought to shake us. Because that same spirit still lives today. Plenty of Christians can quote Scripture. Fewer are willing to actually live it and obey it.

The gifts the wise men brought weren’t random. They carried meaning. Gold for a King. Frankincense for worship. Myrrh for death. They saw what most of Israel missed—that this baby was no ordinary child. This was the King who came to die so we could live.

The Gifts of the Wise Men

So what about you? What are you bringing Him this Christmas?

GOLD was a gift fit for a King, symbolizing value, honor, and majesty. In giving it, the wise men acknowledged Jesus as the King of all kings. This Christmas, let it remind us to value Christ above everything else. He is King of kings and Lord of lords. Does He hold that place in your life … or do your job, your hobbies, and your phone get more attention?

FRANKINCENSE was used in temple worship as an incense burned before God and symbolized prayers rising to Heaven. It should remind us that we’re temples of His Spirit. Ask yourself, do your words and actions give off the aroma of Christ, or the smell of the world? Make space for Him to rule in your heart and let the sweet aroma of His love flow out of you to those around you.

MYRRH was used to prepare bodies for burial. A strange gift for a child, but a powerful foreshadowing of Jesus’ purpose. He came to die so that we might live. Myrrh reminds us to die to ourselves daily, to lay down our pride, our plans, our pursuit of perfection, and live instead in the power of His resurrection. That’s the true essence of Christmas: God with us, God for us, God in us.

Giving with Purpose: We Give Because God Gave First

Here’s the truth: The chaos of this season exposes hearts. Crowded stores, packed calendars, and endless shopping lists aren’t the problem. The problem is that people are so busy chasing their own version of Christmas that they’ve left Christ on the sidelines.

But the invitation hasn’t changed: “Come, let us adore Him.”

Don’t be like the scholars who knew the right answers but didn’t walk the mere six miles to bow before the King. Be like the wise men who left everything behind to find Him. Because wise men—and wise women—still seek Him.

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This Christmas, let your giving reflect the heart of the wise men—adoration, gratitude, and faith. We give because God gave first.