John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Christmas is a time when many of us celebrate all kinds of family traditions. From the decorations we put up to the movies we watch to the foods we eat, traditions are a big part of Christmas!
One of our family traditions when I was growing up, a tradition that we continue to observe in our family today, was allowing each child to open one gift on Christmas Eve. Having watched the brightly wrapped boxes gather under the tree for days, my brothers and I could scarcely contain our excitement by the time Christmas Eve finally arrived!
We would take turns holding, weighing and shaking the boxes to try to discern what each of them might contain. We did this for one main reason, of course; and that was to avoid opening the box containing the dreaded Christmas socks! Nothing sucks the joy out Christmas Eve faster than opening a gift of Sunday dress socks, unless you happen to have the particular bad luck of opening “Christmas underwear!”
Many years later, and now a parent myself, I understand the gift giving dilemma that my parents faced when they gave us socks for Christmas. Do you give gifts that you know your children need; or do you give what you know they might want; or do you, somehow, try to give gifts that are both what they want and what they need?
At the center of the Christmas story is a gift given by God that is both what we want and what we need.
The Apostle John describes the gift in these famous words:
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
At first we might read this and think, “That’s nice; but how is that what I want? What I really want is a new Lexus! What I really need is a better job”
Think a little deeper.
When we dig down into who we are as human beings, I think we find that there are at least four things that we all want and need.
We want and need love.
We want and need joy.
We want and need peace.
And we want and need hope.
I think you can make an argument that we need these four things as much as we need food and water. I think you can also argue that these are also our deepest wants as well.
And if we understand the story of Christ’s birth at all, I think we see that the gift of Jesus includes love, joy, peace and hope.
Jesus was a gift of God’s love.
Jesus was a gift designed to bring great joy through the good news of the gospel.
Jesus was a gift that brings peace through the forgiveness of sin.
Jesus was a gift that grants the hope of eternal life.
So whatever shows up under your tree or in your driveway this Christmas, know that you have already been given the gifts you most long for and most need.
Lord Jesus,
We want so many things that we often forget the things we need most. Help us to see and receive the gifts that you most want to give; love, joy, peace and hope. Amen.
Pastor Brian Coffey
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment