Key Thought

Most Christians know the three gifts of the Magi to Jesus were gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But, did you know that the angel of the Lord also gave Joseph the assurance that God is giving three gifts in sending Jesus? God's three gifts in Jesus are: 1) a Son of David who fulfills God's promise of a King who will reign forever; 2) a child named Jesus who is God's Son, conceived through the Holy Spirit; and 3) a son named Jesus, the Great Deliverer, who will save his people from their sins. As Jesus' younger brother would later write, God is the Father of "every good and perfect gift" (James 1:17). There is no gift more precious or far-reaching than the gift of Jesus, God's Son, and our Savior.

Today's Prayer

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O dear Father, you give such amazing and generous gifts. Thank you for your assurance and love, for people of faith who believe and act on your Word, for the Holy Spirit who leads us in your will, and most of all, for your Son and my Savior, Jesus. For these gifts and a host of others I so often take for granted, I give you thanks. You are wonderful and your love is too great for me to fathom. Please accept my heartfelt praise, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

The mother of Jesus Christ was Mary. And this is how the birth of Jesus happened. Mary was engaged to marry Joseph. But before they married, Mary learned that she was pregnant with a child. Mary was pregnant by {the power of} the Holy Spirit. Mary's husband, Joseph, was a good man. He did not want to bring shame to Mary before the people. So he planned to divorce her secretly. But after Joseph thought about this, an angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream. The angel said, "Joseph, son of David, don't be afraid to accept Mary to be your wife. The baby that is in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son. You will name the son Jesus. Give him that name because he will save his people from their sins." All this happened to make clear the full meaning of the things the Lord said through the prophet : "The virgin will be pregnant and will give birth to a son. They will name him Immanuel." (Immanuel means, "God with us.") When Joseph woke up, he did the thing that the Lord's angel told him to do. Joseph married Mary. But Joseph had no sexual union with Mary until she gave birth to the son. And Joseph named the son Jesus.

— Matthew 1:18-25 (ERV)

Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. All rights reserved.