Odd Birthday Presents (Prayer Devotional for the week of January 6, 2013)

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The ball has dropped, grocery stores have sold their annual quota of black-eyed peas and cabbage, we don’t have another excuse to set off small explosives in the driveway until July, and the kids are heading back to school. It would seem that Christmas is behind us … or, is it?

As precious as the Christmas story is, the tale doesn’t end at the manger. All of the events leading up to that glorious night in Bethlehem are just Part 1 of an epic adventure! While Mary was laboring in a barn and angels burst into song with shepherds out in the fields, a group of foreign stargazers were en route from distant lands in the East to witness firsthand the answer to a prophecy concerning a royal infant.

These magi, or wise men, brought birthday presents for the child-king that seem a little odd, by our modern accounts, but they were symbolic and foretelling of Jesus’ life yet to unfold. Gold has spiritual significance throughout the Bible, such as its use in and around the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 25 & Hebrews 9) and the streets of gold in Heaven (Revelation 21:21). Frankincense was an aromatic spice used in the Lord’s temple and is symbolic of Jesus’ priestly role as the one and only way to the Father. Lastly, myrrh was practical back then as an antiseptic for medicinal purposes, but it is generally recognized for its use in burials. What a peculiar gift!

You and I would probably agree that a life insurance policy or prepaid burial plot would make a strange (not to mention morbid) baby shower gift, but the treasures that these magi brought to Jesus were prophetic of his future, including the part where he gave his life for us. I wish we knew the whole story about how the magi were told to follow the star, but what we do know is that they saw God at work and acted on it in obedience. We would be wise to live our lives in similar fashion.

2 Corinthians 8:12 tells us: “For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have” (NIV). In other words, we may not all be able to bring treasure chests’ worth of gifts as our offering. We simply don’t have those kinds of resources at our disposal. However, if we are willing to give what we can (like the magi), then God accepts our generosity as an act of worship.

Black coffee

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I wasn’t going to post anything about this until toward the end of the month, but I had an experience this morning that I wanted to share, and besides, I could always use some accountability. I’m doing a modified fast for three weeks, which began Jan. 1. The reason is two-fold: 1) Against my better judgment, I’ve managed to rediscover about half of the weight I lost in 2011, and I’m disappointed in myself for letting that happen; and 2) I’ve been in a funk emotionally & spiritually, and I need a fresh perspective. It isn’t a resolution, per se, but I guess I would just call it a benchmark for the new year, where I focus on making positive improvements.

I’m generally following the Daniel Fast protocol, which is based on the passage of Scripture in Daniel 1 about giving up choice foods and drink. The modern interpretation includes avoiding sugars, meat, leavened bread, dairy, caffeine and alcohol. I’ve joked before that if I had enough recipes for hummus, eggplant and tofu, then I could become a vegetarian with no problem. Now, I like meat as much as the next Texan, but that was one of the easiest things for me to axe for a few weeks.

Reincorporating sugars and bread into my diet is what caused all this weight to find its way back to my gut, in the first place, so those are things I’ve been needing to avoid for a long while and just have slacked off about it. The first three days weren’t bad; in fact, I [re]discovered a few things that were really yummy — like oatmeal naturally sweetened with finely chopped dates and warm corn tortillas with salsa.

I wanted a glass of wine last night, but I poured myself a glass of water, instead. I do drink a few (4-5?) servings of caffeinated drinks (diet soda, iced tea) every day, so I was a little concerned that I might have caffeine withdrawal. I started getting a headache yesterday (Day 3) afternoon, and although I took ibuprofen, it still lingered this morning. The weather here has been a roller coaster of typical Texas winter craziness, so it’s hard to say if the headache is from no caffeine or just allergies. At any rate, I hope it goes away soon. I don’t drink coffee every day; in fact, I have it primarily on cold days. I really wanted some on this cold & drizzly morning, so I had a cup of decaf — black. I was prepared to pour it down the drain if it was gross, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it wasn’t terrible. It’s like unsweetened hot tea (which I happen to enjoy), only more earthy, if that makes sense. I will say that the half-cup that I drank before eating my oatmeal was decent, but the first sip after eating the oatmeal was blech. I guess the sweetness of the oatmeal was just enough to make the “earthiness” of the coffee taste like dirt. Note to self on that.

All that is to say, I’m regaining some control over what I allow my body to consume, and I’m focusing on getting my head & heart back inline with the Lord. I understand that fasting is supposed to be a personal endeavor (Matthew 6:16-18), and I’m not aiming for any pats on the back, but I do think that we can (and should) encourage one another. So, if there’s something that you are committing to change (whether as a New Year’s resolution or otherwise), let me know, and I’ll join you in prayer & return the encouragement.