The Greatest Gift Of All

12/24/2011

Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing.

Bible Verse of the Day: John 10:10 " For I came to give you life, and give it to you abundantly."

Christmas is an exciting time in a house with a 4 and 6 year old. Their excitement reaches a crescendo as the big night approaches when the gifts can finally be opened and the joy of their hearts can finally be fulfilled after a seemingly endless period of waiting. They have been counting down with their advent calendars, each day representing one step closer to the night of opening their gifts. But I have been focused on teaching them that the greatest gift that they will ever receive in their lives has already been given. It was given on Christmas because that is when God chose to send His Son into this dark world to establish a beach head for reconciling this world back to him for eternity. He sent His Son humbly into the world, born into the darkness in a manger, with a few cloths and some hay all that there was to keep him warm. The second He was born, the evil forces of darkness in this world were already trying to kill him, with the mind of King Herod already working to destroy anything that would challenge his earthly throne. When he heard that the baby King had been born in Bethlehem and that He was to become the King of the Jews , he instantly felt insecure and and threatened. The ultimate result were the first martyr's for Christ, when he ordered all boy babies who were born in Bethlehem and under the age of two to be killed. Welcome to the world Jesus, we've been waiting for you. But God had the perfect gift waiting for us, and His plan could not be thwarted, as reconciling the world back to Him had been the goal since the fall in the Garden of Eden. Sin had to be dealt with once and for all. Mankind would be the beneficiary of the greatest gift. It would be a gift that we could never deserve or earn. We weren't owed it by any means. We didn't have to receive it,we would never be forced to take it,but we could never loose it. It would never be taken back, like many of our earthly gifts that our kids don't either want or the sizes are wrong. Even though the price of the gift would be enormous, we wouldn't have to pay a dime to get it. The price for our sin would be paid in full and we would never even get a bill. Eternal life is the reward for all who will simply recognize who Christ is and what He did for us on the cross to get it. God is asking if you will receive the greatest gift of all this Christmas. It brings love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, self control and humility in a way this world could never offer. The gift is waiting to be unwrapped by all who claim it. May this Christmas be the best ever as we truly embrace the reason for the season. Don't forget that the greatest gift has already been given, and no earthly gift can ever compare. Amen!