What to give?

A question that always comes up during this season is "What do I get for so-and-so?" It would be especially hard if you thought the person has everything already. But, do they have everything?

The gift of eternal life has been given to all, but some have left it under the tree or have completely ignored it. Probably, because it's not wrapped perfectly, with shiny paper and a pretty red bow. But what most don't realize is that what's in the package is far more beautiful and greater than what they could imagine.

Jesus Christ giving his perfect life for our sin-soaked excuse of a life is nothing, NOTHING, short of gracious. We have been given a gift that we don't deserve. A Gift that is overwhelmingly given with love and joy, and we let it sit under the tree! And for some of us who have already opened it, we stick it back under the tree, and pull it out when it's convenient for us. Or, we just look at it when we walk by the tree. I am soooo guilty of that! Just walking on by, whether it's purposefully ignoring it or being distracted with other things that I don't even see it - HIM, the Christ!

As a full-time Mom, I have an ongoing list of things to do. More often than not, spending time with my Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, doesn't get put on the list. What I've also come to notice is that I can also be a little selfish with my Gift. I don't share it when I should...it's too much of an inconvenience, "What if they laugh at me?" "What if they won't like me?" Honest and common excuses. I forget, LORD, Father God please forgive me, I forget what you went through for my sake - betrayal, scoffing, mockery, persecution - verbal and physical, whipping, nailing, DEATH. And I don't want to share you because I'm afraid that someone may laugh at me!?

LORD, I give my whole self to you as "a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable" (Romans 12:1) in your eyes, because I am "washed by the water through your Word"! (Ephesians 5:26) Father, I want to share your Gift of love and grace. Please help me to overcome my fears. For You "...did NOT give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:7) I want to give myself to you, just as a wife gives of herself to her husband.

"...and let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband (Ephesians 5:33 - Amplified Bible)[^[f]that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates, and esteems him; and ^[g]that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly]. [I Pet. 3:2.] (Now, this scripture passage speaks of the wife repecting and reverencing her earthly husband. But the only way that we will be able to do that for them is if we are that way towards our Heavenly Husband. It may not make complete sense, but it doesn't have to. We need to just "trust and obey." And when we do, the 'fruit' of it is oh so sweet!!!)

Sorry, for the runon thought. It's a good thing that I'm not being graded on this and how well I stick to the main point. See the thing with me, if you don't know me that well, is that when I have a thought...there's a lot of other thoughts connected to it, and most of the time I don't make/speak the connection very clearly, but there is one, trust me. So, each, shall we call them "nuggets", should be taken with a grain of salt. Follow? ;o). (I pray that my groanings to the LORD would be heard...that they would fall on open ears and hearts. That a seed would take root. God, you are so Mighty!! I pray that through this, You would show off and that Your Name would be glorified! Praise Your Wonderful Name!!!)



"As we approach Christmas, it’s good to remember why Jesus was born. The Son of God did not come to establish a nostalgic, family-oriented, commercially successful holiday. The angel told Joseph: “[Mary] will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21).

Christmas began with a present from God to His sin-damaged world: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23)." - David McCasland