Frankincense, Episode 2 (11/29/2021)

Episode 2: Frankincense

"And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh." Matthew Chapter 2, Verse 11

King Gaspar of India ordered his servants to find the best perfume bottle in the castle in the whole castle and then polish it carefully. When they had found it and prepared it, a servant carefully poured me inside, being very careful not to spill even a drop of my oil.

You see, I am very rare, and treasured. I am Frankincense, a sweet-smelling oil that comes from the dried sap of Boswellia trees in the Middle East.

The rumor in the castle is that King Gaspar is going to meet the son of the greatest king of them all, Jesus Christ. I will be presented to a baby boy in Bethlehem, born to a virgin named Mary and her carpenter husband, Joseph. I know that Jesus is a very special baby if the King will give him the gift of Frankincense. But he’s not just a baby boy. He’s also God. And I will help people, in prayer and praising, to worship him, God-most-high!

This Advent, as you prepare for Christmas, give Jesus the gift of your prayer, praise, and worship. Because he is God, it is good for us to offer him the best that we have.

Lord Jesus, help us to worship you as God-most-high! Help us to offer you the best we have in our prayer, praises, and worship. Like the Wise Men, help us to give you the greatest treasure we have: our hearts. Amen.

Prayer Starter

"And I will help people, in prayer and praising, to worship him, God-most-high!" Frankincense was offered as a special gift to praise God in prayer. We were made to praise and worship God with our very life. So we are like a “living Frankincense”, our whole life can praise God by what we say, do, think, and choose!

The Bible loves to teach us to worship and praise God. For prayer today, find a time when you and your kids can pray through Psalm 150 together, joining all creation in praising God.

Before you pray it together, spend a minute thinking/sharing about all the things you want to praise to God for: his forgiveness, his love, the way he protects us, for being so close to us in Jesus, for giving us our families, etc.

Psalm 150

Alleluia! Praise God in his Temple.
    Praise him in his mighty heaven.

Praise him for his strength.
    Praise him for his greatness.

Praise him with trumpet blasts.
    Praise him with harps and lyres.

Praise him with tambourines and dancing.
    Praise him with stringed instruments and flutes.

Praise him with loud cymbals.
    Praise him with crashing cymbals.

Let everything that breathes praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord! Alleluia!