Yes indeed, ’tis the season to receive tokens of overwhelming affection from our beloved ones, yippee! We are just hoppin’ happy with expectation of receiving and giving presents, no matter what they are.
Well, I take that back, some gifts are really hideous, and are exchanged, re-gifted, or used as target practice for that new flame-thrower you just got. My poor husband, before I ever knew him, was gifted by a “loved” one with a lime-green leisure suit.
Just look at that color. Don’t ask me how THAT shows love, I wasn’t there. I had to promise him I would never-ever buy him a colorful outfit as long as we both shall live. I myself love to be gifted with giant warm donuts, filled with custard and covered in chocolate. It’s a better gift to me when my husband does not give me donuts, out of love, so that I don’t become as bloated as the aforementioned donuts. But I digress.
Have you ever really paid attention to the many ways God has gifted His children? Why, it makes me feel spiritually bloated (in a good way) to see the extreme to which He has blessed me! All of His gifts are perfect (James 1:17) and were given as a permanent possession. Let’s browse, shall we?
We’re told that “there is no other name that has been given under heaven by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). God gave Jesus Christ to you as your Savior, as your permanent Gift. What could be better?
“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us” (1 John 3:1). God gave you the gift of His pure, perfect love, and you will always have it, permanently. You did nothing to deserve His love, but it is by His grace that He gave it to you anyway.
“He has given us of His Spirit” (1 John 4:13). God gave you the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation, and He never leaves you. The Spirit is a permanent gift that proves to you that you are truly God’s child.
“The Son of God has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true” (1 John 5:20). In His high priestly prayer, Christ emphasized the importance of knowing God (John 17:3). Christ gave you this gift to understand God’s attributes, through His Word, and this gift is permanent.
“… seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, … His precious and magnificent promises” (2 Peter 1:3-4). With no strings attached, God has very generously given us everything we need to live as His children in this world, and His promises of abundant and eternal life, the Second Coming of Christ, the new heavens and new earth, and His Kingdom. These gifts are permanent.
One gift I absolutely do NOT have is that of being an artist, so I’m not drawing anything here. But here’s an idea! Why don’t you draw a gift box on a piece of paper, or if you’re a bad artist like me, you can download one from the internet. I’ll sit here and wait until you do that.
Time’s up. Now that you have your box, take a few minutes (or hours) and look at all these gifts and meditate on God’s goodness! We’ve been given justification (Romans 3:24); righteousness (Romans 5:17); eternal life (Romans 6:23); salvation (Ephesians 2:8); grace (Ephesians 4:7); spiritual gifts (1 Peter 4:10. Write those words onto your gift box. Hey, use glitter, it’s Christmas!
This is just a start. As you do your daily reading, whenever you find anything that is an obvious gift from God, write that down in your glittering gift box. Eventually, when it’s full, cut out that box and paste it in your Bible. Then the next time you have those days where you feel like “nobody loves me, nobody gives me anything, I should eat dirt and die,” look at your gift box. Go ahead, look at this!
Praise God and thank Him for each and every one of His gifts, and for His magnificent generosity. You’ll feel like a new person, and all without a new Jacuzzi. All year long, every day, He gives gifts that you never knew you needed or wanted. And it will never cross your mind to return, re-gift, or torch them, because you’ll be wallowing in His grace.
Merry Christmas!
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