Every Knee Will Bow

In our Christmas tradition, a manger scene is typically represented by three wisemen. Even popular Christmas songs (We Three Kings) reflect these important people in the historical narrative of Christmas given to us in the Bible. Our study last Sunday in Matthew 2:1–12 covered their journey and arrival in Bethlehem.

I was touched at the end when they actually arrived at the home where Jesus was. These important men rejoiced with great joy, fell down, and worshipped Jesus, giving Him gifts. It is the picture of them on the floor bowing down and worshipping that strikes me. This is out of the ordinary in our culture but perhaps more common in theirs. Yet, for important men to go to the ground seems unusual. In falling down, you see them assume a vulnerable position. It is impossible to defend yourself from your knees. You are at the mercy or direction of another.

But isn’t this the position we would want to be in at the feet of our Lord Jesus? The fighting or arguing would be surrendered, and we’d be ready to serve and follow Him fully. "Worship" is a word that means profound reverence, so the wisemen are fully yielded by falling down, and they are expressing profound reverence in their worship.

This picture is instructive for us as followers of Christ. Like Mary saying that she was “the servant of the Lord” (Luke 1:38). Many times, as we are accustomed to having many freedoms, we can use our freedom to actually reject or push back against what the Lord is doing in our life. We can be ready to debate, as if He had good direction, but just with these several changes. Falling down and worshipping rids us of this attitude and makes our humbled hearts ready to follow him no matter where He leads.

Let’s learn from the old wisemen. Let’s bow down to Him in glad submission; let’s begin today!