Unafraid by Francine Rivers Read Free Book Online Page A

bag. “Frankincense.” The third man set down another box of coins, while the fourth placed a sealed alabaster bottle on the floor mat at her feet. “Myrrh.”
    Mary marveled at such gifts. They had brought gold as a tribute to her son who would be king, frankincense for him to burn as an offering in the Temple, and myrrh as a fragrant balm to anoint his body.
    Jesus paid no attention to the gifts, but toddled among the men who had come to worship him, touching their faces and turbans, and peering into their eyes. He even went to the servants, who ducked their heads to the earthen floor rather than allow him to touch them. Jesus sat among them, opened the little toy boat, and spilled out the animals once again.
    Joseph laughed. “Come. Be at ease. We don’t have much, but what we have we offer you.” He poured wine and broke bread and listened with great interest as the men told them about their long journey to Judah. Mary sat on the mat with Jesus while he played with his boat and animals. She listened to everything that was said. When Jesus yawned, she took him up in her arms and put him to bed.
    Only then did the conversation turn to the dangers surrounding her son.
    “We went to Herod and asked, ‘Where is the newborn king of the Jews?’ We told him about the new star, and how we had traveled so far to worship this newborn king.”
    Joseph’s face was suddenly pale. “And what did King Herod say?”
    The oldest of the four sojourners spoke gravely. “He called for the leading priests and teachers of your people and inquired of them. They said the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem of Judah. For one of your prophets said, ‘O Bethlehem of Judah, you are not just a lowly village in Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”
    “We were on our way out of the palace when Herod’s servant came to us,” said another. “He whispered to speak to us in private.”
    “King Herod told us to go and search carefully for the child, and when we found him to go back and tell him so that he too could come and worship him.”
    Mary saw the fear come into Joseph’s eyes. “And when will you do this?”
    “Don’t be troubled, Joseph,” the oldest of the company said. “King Herod’s reputation is known among the nations.” He leaned forward and clasped his hands between his knees. “And a messenger of God came to us and warned us against returning to the palace.”
    Mary looked at Joseph, but his attention was fixed upon the men.
    “It is our habit to sleep by day so that we can follow the star by night,” another said. “Yesterday, after leaving Herod’s palace, we stayed at an inn in Jerusalem.”
    “And all of us had the same dream.”
    “The exact same dream.”
    The oldest man lifted his hand to calm the excitement of the others. “We were all told not to return to Herod, but to go home another way.”
    “Herod will seek you out,” Joseph said grimly.
    “He will send men to look for a company of magi with their servants, but he will not find us. Each of us will be heading in a different direction. Babylon, Assyria, Macedonia, Persia. You will have only a few days before the king realizes we have gone. Then he will begin hunting for the child.”
    Mary’s heart pounded heavily with dread. She looked up at Joseph and saw the tension in his face.
    “It is time,” the oldest said, and they all rose. He grasped Joseph’s arms. “May the God of your fathers watch over and protect your son.” They went out into the night, and Joseph closed the door after them.
    Mary stood up, trembling with fear. “What shall we do, Joseph?”
    “We shall wait.”
    “You told me once that Herod has spies everywhere, even in the Temple. Wouldn’t he have had those men followed? They know where we live.”
    He came to her and cupped her face. “Who’s been telling me all these months that Jesus is from the seed of God?”
    She was unable to stop the trembling. How