“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” (Matthew 2:11 NIV).
The word “worship” comes from the Old English, “weorthscipe,” literally meaning to “ascribe worth.” Worshiping God might be described in two parts:
- Recognizing God’s worth.
- Giving God what He is worth.
We were created to worship. From dinosaurs to dandelions, no creature but man has the capacity for worship. We have a God-given desire for worship. So, we’re going to spend our worship on something. It’s not a question of whether we will worship, it’s a question of what and how we will worship.
When the Magi followed the star to Israel, they first encountered a king named Herod. He was a usurper to the throne of David. Half Jewish and half Idumean, Herod gained the throne through Roman accommodation. The Magi did not spend their worship on him. They carried their lavish gifts of gold, myrrh, and frankincense to Bethlehem and laid them at the feet of Jesus. They wisely spent their worship on the Creator King born a man.
We still face a choice for our worship today. Will we spend our worship on the worldly kingdom or on the One Born King, Jesus the Christ?
Do you recognize and express God’s worth to you? Where will you spend your worship?