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The Invasion Daily Devotional -20

by David Joynt on December 18, 2020


MATTHEW 2:11 | 11 On entering the house, they 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.

The wise men brought gifts to Jesus. At first they seem strange, given the humble setting. What use is gold, frankincense, and myrrh? When we attend baby showers, we bring diapers, strollers, a car seat, clothing, and blankets. 

In a world with many local currencies, these gifts were like bearer—bonds. They could be turned into cash anywhere. Since Joseph, Mary, and the baby would soon flee Herod’s pogrom and become refugees in Egypt, these gifts were perfect to ensure their survival.

Has your generosity ever been crucial in someone’s life?

Thank God for allowing us to be generous participants in His plans.

 

Tags: generosity, gift

About the Author
David Joynt

Dave Joynt began his service as a pastor at Valley Presbyterian Church in Paradise Valley, Arizona in September 2014. This meant a move away from the Northeast, where he has a long history, growing up in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and then serving congregations in Delaware and New Jersey for a total of 23 years.

Dave was nurtured in a great church in Bethlehem where his parents, Anne and Carey, served as elders. He graduated in classics from Lehigh University where his Father taught, and then from Oxford, where he met his wife Julia. Ordained in 1988, he completed a Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1993.

He and Julia have a son, Tristan, and a daughter, Madeleine.

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