Every good gift and every perfect gift is
from above, coming down from the Father of lights. James 1: 17a
It is the season of gifts. Early morning
shopping, boxes tucked under the welcome mat, finding forgotten gifts stashed
in the back of the closet, wrapping in secret, and piles of brightly decorated
boxes under the tree. This year our family went high tech and posted wish lists
on Giftster. When the larger family of
siblings and cousins meet we have gone to drawing random gift cards out of a
basket for a unique Christmas surprise.
I am certain the wise men had no idea what they started with their gold,
frankincense, and myrrh.
While we work to make Christmas about
decorations and ribbon it is truly about the perfect gift from above - the king
who became a baby. Christmas is about His sacrifice and our salvation.
The
saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came
into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. I Timothy 1: 15
I cringe when I hear about elf on the shelf
watching to see if children are naughty or nice. It is such a strange twist to
the Christmas story that we tell children to earn their gifts and fool ourselves into thinking we deserve ours. While the elf on the shelf
makes for family fun and cute pictures on
social media, it represents a completely backward
version of the Christmas story.
We do not deserve this perfect gift. The
perfect gift brings us eternal life that is absolutely undeserved. The perfect
gift is Grace crying in a manger, Grace walking among us, Grace hanging from a
cross. The perfect gift does not come wrapped. The perfect gift wraps His arms
around us.
See
what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children
of God; and so we are. I John 3: 1
And so we are.
Blessed in Grace.
