Family Adventure: Unexpected Gifts
Why do we receive gifts at Christmas? This tradition is rooted in the narrative of the wisemen in Matthew 2. The wisemen visit Jesus in Bethlehem, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Then Joseph gets a warning. The family runs for their lives to Egypt. They are in exile, running from a king who is threatened by the child who would become King of Kings. The gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh would serve the family as they are forced into hiding for at least two years.
Our current pandemic has been a time of exile and separation. We often reflect on the loss and the pain that this season has brought. As we learn to cope with new realities, what unexpected gifts has this period in our lives produced? As we explore how the Christmas family used the gifts of the Magi to aid them in their time of need, let us also discover a God who guides, provides, soothes, and heals us as we look for refuge and shelter from this current reality.
Look for activities to use all through Advent!
