There is an unreserved twinkle in a child's eye when they see a beautifully wrapped gift under the tree on Christmas. As the anticipation builds toward Christmas morning, patience is put to the test to wait for the moment when the gift can be opened. There is so much excitement and joy that just can't be contained.
The same is true even for an older person when they receive a gift that is unexpected. Just the thoughtfulness shown through the gift-giving that says, "I'm thinking of you!" is really more important to the mature person than what is in the box itself.
Never Opening the Gift
Can you imagine a child so full of wonder, with so much anticipation and energy from seeing a beautifully wrapped gift with their name on it under the tree on Christmas morning, just leaving it there... not ever going over to pick it up or tear into its contents? This is the last thing that you would imagine to happen. As bizarre as that sounds, and as hard to imagine as that seems, this actually happens (more often than you imagine) with another gift. (Photo via Unsplash)
The first verse I ever memorized as a child for a Christmas program at church was John 3:16. I remember standing in front of everyone, saying, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
Jesus is the most precious gift that God has given us. He is the most beautifully packaged gift, so complete and so necessary for our lives. God gave us this gift so that we would have everything we'd ever need and overflow above and beyond without measure. The gift of Jesus is the ultimate gift, so under-girded with love and unmatched thoughtfulness by our Father.
What is the gift of Jesus? He is our EVERYTHING. He is the perfect Son of God, who was fully God and fully man. He left the comforts of Heaven to live and breathe and ultimately die for US – you and me. What we could never pay for, not even come close to paying for, Jesus overpaid for us with His perfect sacrifice.
We all deserve Hell's eternity for our sin, but by God's grace, through this almost unfathomable gift of Jesus, we instead get to have life and have it more abundantly. We get to have an intimate relationship with the "One whom my soul loves," as is so beautifully described in Song of Songs 3:1. We get life in exchange for death, eternity with the Lord in exchange for eternity in Hell, grace in exchange for punishment, and love in exchange for fear.
A Gift That Means Much More
Jesus' gift to us means eternal life, but also much more. Isaiah 53, when it was written, looked forward to the time when a Savior would be given for us. We read the following in verses 4 and 5 (NKJV):
"Surely He has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed Him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
the chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
and by His stripes we are healed." (Photo via Unsplash)
The greatest gift ever given was Jesus. When you open this gift that is just for you (and me), you will find everlasting life with the Father, healing and wholeness, peace and love. Jesus died so you could be not only healed, but whole in EVERY way – body, soul, and spirit. He died and already suffered your griefs so you don't have to. He already provided for your every need. And as we delight ourselves in Him, He will give us the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37:4).
Sounds amazing, right? It is! He is. Don't be the child in that silly scenario I mentioned at the beginning, who looks over at the amazingly wonderful gift but never goes near it or cares to unwrap it. Get filled with excitement. Get filled with anticipation. Rush over! You don't even have to wait. It's already there waiting with your name on it... He is waiting with arms open wide. Jesus! Only Jesus! He really is the reason for the season. Open the gift of Jesus!
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Crystal G.H. Lowery
Based On Faith
Email:Â click here
Website:Â www.basedonfaith.org
Crystal G.H. Lowery is a Christian estate planning attorney and is the owner and founding attorney of Law Office of Crystal G.H. Lowery, LLC. Crystal is also an author as well as the founder of Based on Faith, an organization whose vision is to become an international resource that increases biblical knowledge of faith within the Body of Christ through comprehensive teaching, discussion of law, and the prophetic.
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