Christmas is over!
This is always a joyful season. The smiles the kids have on their faces when they receive presents, the fellowship we all have with our friends and family, and the unity of everyone coming together this one time of the year is truly a blessing for all.
Let’s rewind a couple of days… Back to Christmas morning.
You are nine years old and fast asleep. The sun starts breaking through the shades in the window. The glare from the sunrise catches your eye and you know that morning has arrived. Although it is six o’clock, you get up and run to your parents’ bedroom to wake them. The sheer excitement is more than you are able to handle.
The day has come. The multiple trips to different Santa locations, the letters to Santa, and the elf on the Shelf secrets of what you want for Christmas will be answered soon. A trip to the living room to see all of the gifts he has delivered.
Quickly, into the room, your family arrives and you begin to tear open all of the gifts that Santa has brought to you. You are overcome with emotion as you see all of the gifts being unwrapped. You know that in one of the presents is the one gift that you have wanted for the entire year and the time has come.
The last present.
You rip it open and…
Disappointment fills your body. The gift you asked Santa for and reminded your elf of over and over was not under the tree. You did not get everything you wanted.
How do we handle situations like this where we did not get what we ask for? What do you do when things just don’t go your way?
Most of us, when we do not get what we want for Christmas (or any other gift-receiving holiday) do not show negative emotions. We hold in our frustration and force a smile on our face. We tend to let the materialistic world take over and we forget about all the other gifts we have received.
Our culture is wrapped up in receiving, receiving, receiving. We always forget that feeling that we get when we actually give a gift to someone who needs it. People are too worried about the gift they didn’t receive than the gift they could have given.
A couple of thousand years ago, the perfect example of gift-giving was presented to everyone. This gift was given to everyone who had passed away, everyone who was living, and everyone who will ever live.
God gave us the gift of His Son. This gift is and always will be the Greatest Gift ever received.
Not only that, Jesus continued the example of gift-giving by giving His life for us so that we can have another gift…The gift of eternal life.
Each day of our lives, God continues to give us gifts that we need.
So, why are we so wrapped up in the gifts we did not receive at Christmas? Why can’t we be thankful for the gifts we already have received? Why can’t we continue the real gift-giving tradition and give someone the gift of Christ?
The greatest gift that we could ever give someone is the gift of God’s love. If we teach them about Christ, they will be blessed with the opportunity of eternal life as well. This is truly the gift that never stops giving.
Life is a gift! It is a gift from God. Whether you are at your highest peak or lowest low. The Lord blessed us with another day. A day to get things right with Him. If you are breathing, you are given the gift. If you are struggling in sin, use this gift as an opportunity to repent and come back to Him.
If you are not a Christian, I hope you take these statements as an opportunity to get to know Christ. Take advantage of this time to learn about Christ and the ultimate gift of His Son and the sacrifices He gave for us. We would love to have you join our family and spend eternity with us!
God is Good!
30 Second Thoughts 