Joseph and his very pregnant wife Mary, as you may recall, were compelled to leave their own village, as they were ordered by the Roman government to present themselves at Bethlehem, for the purpose of census-taking and taxation. There the miracle was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus. But the birth of that baby radically changed his parents' lives, for ever.
Joseph was a carpenter -- and a good one, no doubt. Over a number of years, he had built up his business in the area where he lived. He was well known and liked (he was a good man). But soon after Jesus was born, Joseph was warned of God, in a dream, to flee the land of Israel and go down into Egypt; for, Herod was seeking to kill Jesus. Thus, Joseph and Mary had to leave the land of their fathers -- in haste.
They didn't merely leave their home -- as if to go on an extended vacation. No, they left everything. They left behind their home, their families and friends. And Joseph left his customers and his workshop. So, they hurried to Egypt -- telling no one, probably, where they were headed.
The above image, to my imagination, suggests their entering the land of Egypt. Where would they go? They knew no one in Egypt. They could not even speak the language. They had no home to go to, and no relatives to help them out. There was no Radisson Inn nor even a Motel 6. And no carpenter's workshop was interested in hiring a vagabond Jew.
Having Jesus in their lives now seemed to entail certain burdens -- which they might not otherwise have had to endure. Isn't that the case with us? Have you never lost a job, or been passed over for promotion, or been ostracized from 'polite' company -- because of Jesus in your life? I have.
Meanwhile as Joseph and Mary cried out to God for direction and for deliverance, God was already moving for them; albeit, in a way and in a place far removed from their vision. Somewhere "in the East," there were three men. We are never told their names, nor anything at all about their persons or lives. We are only told, in Scripture, that they were "wise men". Indeed, they were: they heard the voice of God and obeyed.
Joseph's and Mary's experience in Egypt must have been a time of great trial to them. Homeless in a strange land, a desert land, amongst a people whose speech they could not comprehend. How they must have prayed! And prayed. The divine baby they so lovingly nurtured did not then turn water into wine -- much less sand into sandwiches. Oh, but his Father in heaven knew what they all needed. . . .
Time passed. Eventually, Joseph perhaps found work. Still, being foreigners in Egypt, they probably only managed to obtain something like a subsistence lifestyle -- living "from hand to mouth," as the saying goes. They kept on looking to God, and praying.
More time passed. I can imagine, even, that things might not have gone smoothly for Joseph and Mary, notwithstanding the kinds of hardships they must have endured, as I just described. Egypt (two-thousand years ago!) did not have wastewater treatment plants, FDA food inspectors, or anything like modern medical science; health hazards abounded -- especially, for non-Egyptians. And no welfare program; no, not so much as food stamps.
Yes, I do mean to press home an image of hardship, of suffering. On top of all of which, there must have been -- especially for Mary, a great loneliness.
One day, as I see it, as Mary was sweeping the dirt floor in her little shanty (as much a home as with all her heart she could make it to be), she heard a knock at the door. (One of her poor neighbors, doubtless. But what could she want?) Glancing over at Jesus, who was by now a "young child" (and no longer an infant), Mary unlatched the door and, hurriedly turning back to Jesus, she said, over her shoulder, "Come on in".
But the voice that answered her was not her neighbor's. It was a man's voice; but not Joseph's.
Quickly turning to see who was at the door, and with no little apprehension (Mary and Joseph were, after all, in hiding), Mary saw not one, but several tall, fair-skinned men (they obviously were not Egyptians) standing outside her door.
"Yes?" she answered, mechanically -- as she quickly tried to appraise the situation. The way they were dressed: clearly, they were not from "around here". There were three of them, with their camels in tow.
"Maam," the gentleman nearest the door spoke, "have you a young boy with you in the house? It's very important that we may see him."
Alarm struck Mary's heart like a lightning bolt! How had Herod discovered their hiding place? She was trapped -- and Joseph was not at home.
Perceiving the apprehension in her face, and before Mary could yet utter a word, the man promptly offered the reason for their visit: "We've come to worship him".
"You . . . you've come to . . . do what . . . with him?" That three grown men would appear from literally out of nowhere, to "worship" -- her toddler! was an idea so far outside of Mary's mode of thought, that she couldn't process the meaning of what she'd just heard.
"...to worship the child, the King of Israel, my Lady," replied one of the other men. At that, they all turned and walked toward their camels -- partly, to give Mary a little space, and also to relieve their camels of the special burdens which those camels had carried for several hundreds of miles across the desert.
Turning, again, toward Mary's doorstep, each of the three men brought forth, in turn, a large box in his arms.
"But, how...." Mary stuttered; and with tears welling up in her eyes.
"The Angel, my Lady, He led us here. It's a long -- but beautiful story, how He spoke to each of us, severally, and told us what to do. When we 'happened' one day to share each with the other our experience, we were sure it was the God of Heaven who had called us. Some day, we will tell you, at length, the glorious tale. But, now, may we fulfill our mission, my Lady? May we see the child, who, we believe, is your humble servants' King?"
Mary was utterly speechless. Tears flooded down her youthful cheeks. And her own heart, in that moment, was profoundly affected. Yes, of course, she knew that Jesus was, well, very special. Yet, she had not yet come to fully understand. But in that moment, she saw her own son in a way she had never before seen him. For, that little boy was not only those men's King; he must be her King, too. O, God, how her heart did tremble and fear, with this just-discovered -- and, now, much larger -- vision of God's dealings with her! Mary could but with her trembling hand motion for Jesus to come and stand by her side, near the center of that small room.
And bowing reverently as they singly entered Mary's home, each man in turn kneeled before Jesus, and laid his burden down at the young Master's feet:
The first laid down his weighty burden of gold -- all his wealth and earthly riches. And he worshiped the King: "My worldly treasure, your Majesty; for, you are worthy".
The second laid down his expensively decorated box of frankincense -- the fragrance of which filled the room and dominated the atmosphere; which (to his own conscience) symbolized his prideful self-importance. Thus, he worshiped the King; "My sinful pride, your Highness; pardon your now humble servant, I pray".
The third fairly threw himself down at Jesus's feet. His box was exceedingly heavy, though it contained but a measure of an herb called myrrh. You see, myrrh is a healing herb; but, just so, the need for healing ever reminds us of the inevitability of death. His worship he could hardly speak: "My life, my King, is in your hands".Jesus stood, quietly, listening; something moving deeply within him, though he knew not what it meant.
But Mary knew. She knew that God had answered her and Joseph's prayers. Her precious family had never for one moment been forgotten by God. He knew all along. He did hear their cries! And he sent the answer -- a long time ago, in fact. It just took a while before the answer could arrive. But it was right on time. And, oh, when it came, it was so much more than they had asked for. . . . So much more.
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