It’s Christmas! The anticipation has been building, and we’ve finally made it to the Big Day! My daughter’s thrilled, to say the least. Every day she’s been asking me, “Is it Christmas Day yet? I wanna open Abby’s presents.” And every day I’ve had to tell her “No, not yet. You just have to wait a few more days.” Poor little girl, she’s just so elated with the Christmas season that I wish she could experience it the whole year through.
So, how about you? Are you eager to unwrap your Christmas gifts? Have they been staring you in the face the past few weeks, beckoning you to open them? Sometimes I think I can almost hear them calling my name. I find it so funny how we obsess over giving and getting gifts. We rack our brains to find the ultimate perfect gift for our family and friends hoping we’ve achieved the “Wow factor.” We feel that it has to be something that they weren’t expecting to get that will “blow their minds.” And in return we expect the same, right?
But, what happens when Christmas morning arrives and we tear open our gifts only to be disappointed in what we find? The gift is nothing we’ve asked for or even hinted at. In fact, it’s not really anything we like and would use. Then what happens? Do we say our polite thank-you and then act dissatisfied with our presents? Are we really that spoiled by our frivolous lifestyles that we could actually have that kind of reaction? Yes, it’s possible, and we wouldn’t even think twice about it. It’s hard to believe we’ve become so ungrateful, so selfish that we forget about the gifts that come from the heart.
Maybe you’re saying, “That’s ridiculous; I would never act like that.” The sad fact is we all have. Perhaps not with the tangible gifts we have received from others, but each time we’ve rejected God. The times we’ve sinned and turned away from our Heavenly Father, those are moments in our lives when we’ve disregarded the ultimate gift that was given to us, Jesus. The perfect gift wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger. The gift of salvation presented to us as a baby. A gift of love.
What a miraculous gift! Can you imagine what it must have been like to hold precious baby Jesus? Then to raise him and watch as He gave His life on a cross for you and me, so we might have eternal life. It’s hard for me to fathom that type of love. The closest thing I will ever know is how dearly I love my own children.
But, when Jesus was born not everyone recognized Him as that perfect gift. In Matthew 16 the Bible talks about how King Herod sent his soldiers to kill all the boys in Bethlehem that were 2 years old and under. Then when Jesus began His ministry as an adult the Pharisees couldn’t see past their own pride to accept the gift of salvation and the message Jesus was preaching. How sad it is to think we still do that to Jesus today.
Yes, we all have our bad days. We deny Jesus and put Him aside for more important things. It can be very discouraging at times to follow Jesus, because sometimes we get more than we bargained for. But, despite all of that, I think it’s exciting to have Jesus as a friend. It’s not always easy, but it can be very exciting.
The gift of Jesus is more precious than anything this world can give us. It’s not a gift to keep for ourselves alone; we need to share it with as many people as possible. The gift of Jesus is a gift we can unwrap all year long.
In our short two years of being parents, my husband and I have realized that the greatest gift we can give our children is not expensive, lavish toys that are placed under a tree once a year. It’s the simple gift of Jesus that will give them wealth of the lasting kind that can be enjoyed for all of eternity. And in doing so, my husband has been teaching my daughter a song that his mother taught him when he was little. And even though she’s passed away, the gift she gave her son now lives on in her grandchildren. I thought I would share the song with you.
Sweet Jesus, Sweet Jesus
What a wonder you are
You are brighter than the morning star,
You are fairer, more fairer
Than the lily that grows by the wayside
Precious, more precious than gold.
I live for Jesus day after day
I live for Jesus come what may
No longer strangers I will obey
I live for Jesus day after day.
My hope and prayer for each of you this Christmas season is that you will unwrap the most perfect gift of all, Jesus Christ. I wish with all my heart that you will accept the gift of salvation and proclaim Jesus as your Savior and Lord. Merry Christmas and God Bless.
