Gifts and the Gift…

It’s a season of giving gifts! I was reminded of one of the all-time favorite gifts I received as a child the other day. I must have been 5 or 6 years old, and that Christmas my parents got me an army man set, a helmet, a gun with a bayonet, a canteen, a utility belt with grenades and a compass, and maybe a few more things an army man might need to carry. It was the best gift and I was so excited to have it. I was determined to take it with me to my grandparents house in Waco. So we loaded up in our red station wagon and headed down the road from Tucumcari, NM. Early in the trip I am suited up, equipped and ready just in case we run into any battles or trouble. I roll down my window, (we use to do that), and stick my head out, (we didn’t wear seat belts in the 60’s), yelling CHARGE, and my helmet flew off my head. All of the sudden I was in retreat, crying and screaming to my parents that my helmet blew off. My siblings were laughing, my dad was mad, and mom showed compassion to ask my dad to turn around and go back and get it. The rest of story…we found it, my dad was still mad, my big brother called me a dummy, and all my battles were inside the station wagon the rest of the trip.

I have received a lot of gifts over the years, fun, exciting, wonderful gifts. I don’t remember any of them, but at the time I’m sure they were great. But gifts are not always a present, or a pair of socks. I have so many friends, and the people that I work with that are precious gifts, treasures, a blessing in my life. I have the gift of a beautiful family, a home, a job, and my health. These are all gifts, and I am so thankful.

Many times in our life we don’t stop to reflect and think about the many gifts we have received, they are just taken for granted. Even the giftedness that we all have, talents, abilities, and personalities that bless people around you. They are gifts, and so valuable to you and to others. They have been given to us. So there must be a giver—who gave us these things? Family, friends, a neighbor, a stranger…God? ‘For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

In all of creation, and all of our life’s, we will not receive a greater gift. God sent his Son down to earth as a child so that we could have a relationship with him. Sin has separated us from God, but a Savior has been born to make us right with God. We have been rescued, we have received a gift. The gift of salvation, of eternal life with God.

My prayer for many of my friends and neighbors, and people that I meet daily, is that they will receive the gift, Jesus Christ, the greatest gift of all. “For God so loved the world that he gave.”

I love gifts, God gave me the gift, and it is the most wonderful, life changing gift I will ever receive and never forget.

Thank you Lord…what a gift!