The Greater Gift

Needless to say, I contacted my aunt and told her that I needed that shirt back.

The point is this: I can look in my closet and find clothes and ties; I can look on my dresser and find cologne and watches and other things that I have received as gifts from my wife and children and other people and as much as I wholeheartedly appreciated those gifts of their love for me, sometimes I can’t recall “who gave what.”

But there is a gift that I wear daily. There is a gift that I keep in my possession—I do not leave home without it.

I can remember when it was and where I was when I received it and who gave it to me. I will cherish this gift for the rest of my life and then after that.

This is a gift that once it is given, it will never be taken away—no one will ever come to me and ask for it back.

This is a gift that I cannot take back to the store and exchange it for another. I could not give it back even if I wanted to.

What gift am I talking about? I am talking about Jesus! I am talking about eternal life.

Eph 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

This gift was given to me the moment I believed. It didn’t cost me anything—the price was already paid in full!

It came with a wrapping. It came wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. But that is not the wrapping I am talking about.

This gift was God Himself—wrapped in human flesh—He was the God-man—very God and very man.

“...though He was rich, yet for our sakes He became poor, that we through His poverty might become rich.” (2 Cor. 8:9)

How did He do this? He came as a baby; grew up as a sinless man; went to the Cross as my substitute to pay the penalty for my sin.

He died on that Cross for me but then He got up and came out of that grave on the third day!

What a gift! Paul writes in 2 Cor 9:15, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”

God gave His best; He gave His all. Words cannot express our gratitude so we come to offer up joyful praise, worship and thanksgiving for God's wonderful gift!

I know that some elected to stay home in order to open their gifts and share a warm, family-friendly Christmas with one another but I have come out to worship Him for His gift!