Imagine you receive an invitation to a baby shower. You’re so excited this child is finally on the way that you immediately begin preparations for the journey. The parents live in another country, and while you have a general idea where to find them, you don’t know the exact location where the party will be held. But you know God will lead you to the right place, because He’s the One who delivered the invitation. He’s been sending you signs in the sky.

Still, you end up getting there late. Not just by a few minutes or an hour, but more like a year or two. Even so, you’re warmly welcomed and the whole world can read about your visit for years to come. Even your gifts are recorded. Aren’t you glad you didn’t just throw together a basket of bibs and pacifiers?

Sound crazy? That’s exactly what happened to the Magi.

I know, I know. Almost every nativity scene, children’s book, and Christmas movie shows the Magi at the stable or cave, right next to the shepherds and a mix of animals. But they weren’t there. If you read carefully, you will see that:

“When [the Magi] saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route” (Matt. 1:10-12, NIV).

They found Mary and Jesus in a house, and Jesus was no longer an infant, but a child. It also came after His circumcision (described in Luke 2:22-24). If Mary and Joseph had already received the gift of gold from the Magi, they could have afforded a better sacrifice than a couple of birds at the temple. Also, Joseph is not mentioned here, so it’s possible he was working when they arrived. Since scripture doesn’t say, we can only guess. Also, if Jesus had still been a baby, Herod would not have murdered children up to two years of age in his slaughter of the innocents (Matt. 2:16).

Why does this matter? Because in God’s Kingdom, it doesn’t matter WHEN you arrive to worship Jesus, just that you do. The Magi were not “God’s people” in that they were Gentiles, not Jews, and most likely astronomers or astrologers from Persia who had access to the Hebrew scriptures. Yet they understood the king they traveled so far to meet was THE King and worthy of the months of hard travel and the most extravagant gifts they could afford. He was worth risking Herod’s wrath when they snuck out of Israel without telling him where they found the King. They were willing to pay the cost.

Maybe you came to Jesus late too. You weren’t raised in a Christian home or you rebelled and ran far from God. You might not have realized you were far from God until you heard the truth and started to seek Him. If you’ve found Jesus now it doesn’t matter how long it took you to get to Him.

Don’t let Satan convince you you’re not as good as the lifers (people who grew up going to church). They may know where to find things in the Bible and how to answer some hard questions about God, but don’t believe the lie that you’re less valuable to God or to the church. We’re all equal before Jesus. Learn all you can and let your newfound joy in Jesus be contagious. You bring life and energy to worship!

You may have come a long way to see King Jesus, and probably acquired a few scars along the way. Your presence and your gifts are all the more precious because of what you’ve been through.

You haven’t missed the party; not in the least. The angels rejoiced when you bowed to worship Jesus and they haven’t stopped. We need more people to come though. Whether we come to the stable or a house, meet Him in church or a coffee shop, the invitation is still open.

Invite others to the party!

Jesus is here!

Let’s worship Him together!