The Gift
Merry and Blessed Christmas to all! Debbie got up early and began preparing the traditional cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning. I go up not as early, but we go off to Lakewood shortly after 7 a.m. and made it right at an hour. Too bad holiday traffic isn’t everyday traffic. I picked up my mom and she joined us at Christian and Bridget’s home for Christmas dinner.
We did arrive in time to see the grand kids open some of their Christmas gifts. They were very patient with the process and grateful for what they received. We found out, with Riley anyway, that anything with Star Wars and Legos was a cause for excitement, even over his “Red Rider BB Gun.”
As grandparents, who tend to be hard to shop for, we received updated matted pictures of the grand kids. I think this falls into the category of what goes around comes around, as I recall that being a traditional Christmas present for my parents and Debbie’s over the years. So it seem appropriate to take a picture of the Lakewood grand kids with their pictures.
We left Lakewood early because of weather reports and returned to Fort Collins just in time for the falling snow to make this an official “white Christmas!” We will enjoy a relaxed evening and work on our New Year’s Newsletter.
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God…” Galatians 2:8
Christmas is about giving and receiving gifts. I’m not sure about the whole shopping challenge, but I do like gifts wrapped and displayed under the tree. Gift giving is an interesting dynamic. It forms a connection between the giver and the receiver. Of course there is no greater joy than to see children open gifts and exclaim with excitement, “this is just what I wanted.!” That kind of response not only brings joy to the receiver, but the giver of the gift as well.
As you get older it seems there isn’t much that you really, “need” and that can make Christmas shopping a challenge for people like that. But as many observe the older you get the more you value gifts that can’t be bought with money.
All of this has significance for Christmas and Christ coming to earth as God’s gift to the world. We see our great God, motivated by the greatest cause (love) gave the greatest gift (His Son) in order to extend the greatest invitation (whoever believes) to rescue people from the greatest peril, to have the greatest future (eternal life).
While we refer to God as the great gift giver, the true gift is eternal life through the forgiveness of our sin (salvation). It is a gift that we can’t earn, money can’t buy and that we don’t deserve. Often we don’t value what we have unless, we understand what we have been kept from.
I was watching a TV program where an individual was kept from a “trip of a lifetime” by his boss. The individual found this out many years later and was going to exact revenge on the boss only to find out that the van he was scheduled to take to the airport, was involved in a crash and everyone on board died. The boss in his actions, that were not understood, and were viewed as undermining the man’s plans and enjoyment, actually saved his life.
Some may view God’s gift of eternal life as something that would interfere with their “plans and enjoyment.” They view a walk with God as rules, regulations and difficulties. Instead is is hope, light, life and peace. What people tend to seek the most has already been provided through the baby born in Bethlehem’s manger. That is the gift that we all need and that we can all have. No “black Friday sales” on “limited quantities” no “one time offers.” It is even easier than ordering on line and there is no waiting in order to receive the benefits of the gift. It is a gift that simply needs to be received….through faith in Christ. Receive that gift. Value that gift! I’m sure you will find, “this is just what I wanted!”