"Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!" (2 Corinthians 9:15)Do you have a favorite Christmas gift? It may have been given to you years ago, but you still remember it with great fondness. Perhaps you cannot isolate one particular gift but instead have a "Top Ten" list of memorable gifts. I am a member of the second group - those with a list.
In spite of this, I decided to highlight just one of the gifts on my list. It is the gift shown in the above picture. Just an Alpha-Bits box? Hardly. The gift pictured above was made by my oldest son and youngest daughter. At the time they were about five and three years old respectively. Today they are 25 and 22 years of age.About 20 years ago, the two worked together to make Christmas gifts for everyone. My son thought of an idea and they made the idea a reality. The picture above is one of their creations. It was made to hold my paintbrushes. Much to the bemusement of my son, I still use the "paintbrush holder" today.
Some may wonder why I bother to keep such a thing. Others might say,"What kind of gift is that?" The very best kind! This is why I still have the gift. I keep it because it reminds me of the tender giving hearts of two of my children. They had no money but wanted to give something to me. They found a box and put it to good use. The top opening was covered and two holes were punched into the covering. The gift was wrapped and given with great excitement, including an enthusiastic explanation of how it was to be used. It was a thoughtful, humble, precious gift. I treasure it.
As followers of Jesus we all know about the gift that we celebrate at Christmas. When given, this gift did not appear very luxurious. There was no opulence, no grand announcement. A baby? A stable? What kind of gift is that? The very best kind! Jesus, God in the flesh, came to earth. He did not come because we asked him to come. He came while we were still sinners. He came because He loved us. By giving Himself, Jesus made it possible for us to receive the gift of eternal life. Have you received this gift? If you have, remember how precious the gift is. Remember by remaining close to the gift through the study of His Word. Remember by seeking to live as He lived - in obedience to the Father. Most of all, treasure the gift. You will never receive a better one!
