|
From
the December, 2003 edition of The Chapel newsletter
by
Mike Lintner
The Gift of Christmas
Every Christmas my family and I celebrate Christmas together with delicious food, wonderful music, fellowship, and mountains of gifts. But do we ever stop to think of how much work, time and money we invest in those beautifully wrapped gifts?
We listen for clues from those on our shopping list hoping to hear a hint of what item would make that perfect gift for them. We shop to find that perfect gift. We wrap that perfect gift with the finest of wrappings and bows to enhance its presentation. We hide it and keep the secret of that gift alive until Christmas. Finally, at Christmas, all the work and preparations are worth the effort as the gifts are quickly torn open and we get to watch the expressions on the faces of our loved ones and know that they realize these gifts are simply reflections of our love for them.
Christmas itself is a beautifully wrapped gift from God. Our Heavenly Father knew the perfect gift for us -- that one prize that was exactly what each of us needed. The Gift of Christmas is really that God loved this world so much that he sent His only Son, the treasure of His heart, to live among us. His Gift was perfectly planned and beautifully wrapped in strips of cloth and royally laid in a box of straw.
For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon
His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6
(NKJV)
When God sent the gift of Jesus Christ to our hurting world, He was giving each one of us a new chance at life. He provided the gift of His life and His love in the person of His own Son. It’s true that every good and perfect gift is sent down from God’s heart of love, but we know His very best Gift is the real reason we celebrate. But do we come to Him with childlike hearts to receive His Gift and to truly marvel at what it means to us? Do we unwrap and unpack His Gift to realize all He has to offer us?
I pray that the unsearchable riches of the Christ Child will be your treasure this Christmas, and that your greatest gift this season will be the joy that lives in the hearts of those who have received His Gift of eternal life.
In Christ,
Mike Lintner
Back
to The Deacon's Desk main page |
