Christmas Reflection #3

     It's Christmas Day.  I've enjoyed having all of our kids back at our house today.  We are treasuring these times because we know that this coming year holds some significant changes for our family.  At least one move will be coming this year; a wedding for our oldest son and (of course) all those other changes that happen without announcing themselves through each year.  
     We opened our gifts this morning and enjoyed sharing God's generosity with each other.  We did the same with my parents a couple of days ago and will with our future daughter in law this evening.  I love the opportunity to share with those I love.  It brings great joy to me as I give gifts.
     The following words were penned a couple of years ago and they are brief, but I hope the idea of gift giving that is still fresh in your mind will allow you to spend a couple of moments reflecting on the amazing gift that God gave to us so many years ago in the person of Jesus.
     Gift giving is fun as we have the opportunity to share things with each other and watch their reaction while they open the gift. Most of the time, a simple "thank you" will suffice for what we receive. People give to us for the joy of giving and because they love us. They expect no thanks, they just want to express themselves to us. Other times, people are so generous that it takes us by surprise. Did you ever receive a gift from someone and your immediate reaction was something along the lines of "I don't know what to say?"
          I'd like to take a couple of minutes of your time to meditate on Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 9:15 this week. "Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!"
      Talk about a gift that is beyond our description! This gift from God was a person. This gift from God was the promised Messiah. This gift from God would die, paying for our sins; would be buried and would rise again on the third day victorious over sin and death. When I simply accepted the gift, I received all the benefits that go along with it: hope for the future after I die and purpose for living now.
      I have received lots of gifts over the years. While some of them were pretty amazing, none was really beyond description. When I try to express all that Jesus means to me, I am left speechless. I guess that's why the Bible uses the world "inexpressible."
      I'm glad God was so incredibly generous.

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