Giving gifts is a given during these holidays. What are you going to give that has real lasting value with a chance of being cherished by those you love?
Frankincense, Myrrh and Gold? These were quality gifts brought from afar by learned, enlightened men who presented them to a small child they believed to be a long awaited King – a King who would save them from corrupt government in their time! What do these gifts represent? Ingrid Gula, my friend and Poet, sketches it out for us:
THE FOLLOWING OF THE STAR
The wise men travelled from the East, in the Christmas tale of old
Bringing gifts of Frankincense and Myrrh and oh so precious Gold
A Star! Unique, so bright and shining, their reason to rejoice!
It set these men a journeying, “the king is born!” they voiced.
The desert travel, by these men, could not have been an easy quest
The heat of day, the cold of night, the star that wouldn’t rest.
It journeyed on before them, and they journeyed forward too,
For they knew no matter hardships, they were seeking something true.
The Dessert Day, the heat of the sun, sometimes the star unseen
And on the faith of promises the wise men now must lean.
And then the cold, dark, desert night was lightened by the star!
And the wise men knew they’d follow it, it mattered not how far.
The promised king was waiting at the journey’s end.
The answer to God’s promise could be just around the bend.
They fixed their eye upon the brilliant guiding light,
And when the journey ended, it mattered not their plight.
The gifts were opened and presented to their king.
With Myrrh, and Gold and Frankincense, they were giving everything.
Now, we too, are on a pilgrimage, some times on earthly, desert waste.
The cares of life catch us up, we get lost in useless haste.
And like those wise men from the East, eyes fixed upon that star,
We too must seek the promised king, no matter who we are.
His guiding Spirit moves us on, His word our Heavenly light.
A journey that brings glory, of this we keep in sight.
And we can bring our gifts to Him, our Frankincense, Myrrh and Gold,
And join the wise men in that story that never does get old.
Of Gold we think of money, our offerings as seed.
Jesus multiplies them, to provide our every need.
But gold is more than money. Life has many golden things.
Like golden laughter, sunshine and children on swings.
The joy of success, a bright summer day, golden wedding rings.
Freedom, Friends and Fellowship, the hymn the worshiper sings.
And overwhelming gratitude that encompasses everything!
Cherish these Golden gifts of life, present them to your king.
Frankincense symbolizes worship, and the Spirit’s gifts to all.
Listen closely to your heart, answer Holy Spirit’s call.
Let the sweet scent of Frankincense perfume every prayer
And place the adoring worshipper into Jesus’ loving care
Your ideals, your noblest loves, your greatest aspirations.
Your secret hopes, your worship, your Godly adorations,
Are the essentials gifts of life, the Holy Spirit brings.
Open them! Cherish them! Present them to your King.
Myrrh must stand for sorrow, our hearts most bitter cry
Did the wise men know their king must suffer pain and die?
So too, He is our Savior, who died upon the cross,
He offered up His everything, that none should face that loss.
It seems too then, that Myrrh must also stand for love.
The sweetest, sacrificial kind, an offering from above.
So bring to Him all bitter things, all pain, all self-denial.
All sorrows, the death of self, and every fiery trial.
He gave us unconditional love, a sacrifice complete.
So bring life’s disappointments, it’s failures and defeat.
Sprinkle them with oil of Myrrh; these too lay at His feet.
For surely He has borne our grief and carried all our sorrows.
He longs to give us life eternal, in His kingdom of tomorrow.
The wise men came from the East, a journey long and hard.
They kept their eyes upon the goal, the following of the star.
Their journey was rewarded when they bowed before their king.
They opened up their treasures, gave a total offering.
Their story has been preserved, a message for us too,
Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh, the symbols remain true.
They give to us a message, that no matter who we are,
We too are on this pilgrimage, The Following of the Star.
***By Ingrid Gula
––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ♥ Heart Thought ––––––––––––––––––––––––
Straight from the big black book:
Read more about this subject in my book:
The Celestial Proposal,– Our Invitation to Join the God Kind,
Chapter 4, The Fusion Of Human And God-Being, page 43.
“Where did this great heavenly host of celestial beings come from? Shining so brilliantly against the sky, perhaps all together they looked like a star. This luminous mass first appeared to be moving, then stopped at a specific time and place. What star does that?
History tells us there were Magi—influential, learned men who first sighted it and traveled to follow it. “…The star they had seen in the east (or when it rose) went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.” (Matthew 2:9 NIV) If these men had our vocabulary, perhaps they would have claimed it was a UFO that had come down from the heavens. A host of celestial entities gave them a fantastic message—that the savior of the whole human race had been born, a child who was part God, part man and sent to us as a celestial ambassador. This was and is good news because we and our planet still need saving.”
***Buy the book: The Celestial Proposal on Amazon.
Other blog posts:
http://thecatholicspirit.com/featured/wondering-about-the-star-of-wonder/
Jane Catherine Rozek 
How absolutely beautifully you have presented my poem, coupled with great pictures, and your own wise thoughts. You have presented a fantastic picture of this beautiful season of giving. I commend you on yet another truly beneficial post. Thank you.
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I enjoy sharing good guest posts! PLEASE let us know where we can purchase a copy of your new book! I hear you’ve just published one. Love your depth in writing and thanks for sharing with us!
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