Preparing for the Messiah - Day 29

They Rejoiced With Exceeding Great Joy

Matthew 2:9–11 (KJV)

“When they had heard the king, they departed;
and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them,
till it came and stood over where the young child was.
When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
And when they were come into the house,
they saw the young child with Mary his mother,
and fell down, and worshipped him:
and when they had opened their treasures,
they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.”

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Introduction

The wise men had traveled far.
Through deserts, across borders, past uncertainty and danger—
their long journey was fueled by faith.

And then,
at just the right moment,
the star led them to Jesus.

Not to a palace.
Not to a throne room.
But to a humble home
where the King of heaven rested in His mother’s arms.

Their response?
Joy. Worship. Offering.
The same three responses Jesus still invites from every seeking heart.

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Reflection

“They rejoiced with exceeding great joy.”

The wise men weren’t just happy.
They were overwhelmed with joy—
deep, pure, soul-level joy—
because God had guided them faithfully
right to the Savior.

Joy blooms in us the same way
when we realize God has led us,
kept us,
and brought us to a moment of seeing Him more clearly.

“And they fell down, and worshipped Him.”

Before they gave anything,
before they opened a single gift,
they offered their hearts.

They bowed down in reverence,
in awe,
in recognition that this Child was no ordinary child.

This is the heart of true worship:

not what we give to Jesus,
but what we surrender to Him.

“And when they had opened their treasures…”

Their gifts were costly:

• Gold — fit for a King

• Frankincense — for deity and worship

• Myrrh — foreshadowing sacrifice and death

Their treasures weren’t given out of obligation—
but out of honor.

The wise men teach us that love for Jesus
naturally leads to offering Him our best.

Your treasures may not look like gold or incense,
but offering Him your trust, your time, your obedience, your heart—
those are gifts of immeasurable worth.

Today, consider:

• What joy has God stirred in me lately?

• Where am I being invited to worship more deeply?

• What “treasure” can I offer Jesus today—my time, my gifts, my praise, my trust?

When you come close to Jesus,
worship becomes the only fitting response.

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Prayer

Lord Jesus,
Thank You for guiding me, just as You guided the wise men.
Fill my heart with exceeding great joy as I draw near to You.
Teach me to worship You fully,
to bow before You in humility,
and to offer You the treasures of my life.
You are worthy of all I have and all I am.
Amen.

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Journal Prompt

• What recent moment has filled you with “exceeding great joy”?

• What does true worship look like for you right now?

• What treasure—small or big—is Jesus inviting you to offer Him today?