Of Packaging and Gifts

’Tis the season…to be out fighting the crowds while completing last-minute gift shopping. ’Tis the season…to drive around and enjoy the Christmas lights that others have hoisted up on their homes for your enjoyment. ’Tis the season…to watch endless Christmas specials and movies while drinking hot chocolate with LOTS of whipped cream. ’Tis the season…to gather with family and friends and sing Christmas carols and exchange gifts. ’Tis the season…of “busy-ness”.

While you are busy doing all those wonderful and enjoyable things (OK, the last-minute gift shopping might not fall into that category!), have you slowed down long enough to consider the Gift that was given to us all that this season actually celebrates?

The exchange of gifts is a large part of this holiday season and tradition. Gifts are most often wrapped with care and in such a way that the identity of the contents within are well hidden. The size of the package does not necessarily give away the contents, either. A small package could contain a diamond ring or even a set of keys to a car (yeah, I know, dream on!). In fact, the wrapping itself doesn’t usually offer much in the way of revealing what is inside.

What was God’s gift to us? Salvation. How did it come packaged? Was it in an awe-inspiring celestial demonstration? Was it in an attention-grabbing, universe-quaking display of His infinite power? No, it was not. Salvation came wrapped in the cuddly soft flesh of a Baby in Bethlehem. Literally, God with us!

It’s a hard concept to grasp, this “God with us” notion. Those who admit to a belief in God may either think He is way too holy to actually live among us or will want to make a god that fits conveniently in a pocket, one which can be controlled, manipulated, and conformed to their own designs and desires. But that is not what happened in that Middle Eastern stable so long ago.

What God did was send us a gift that we did not deserve. He sent us a gift that, if we accept it, will restore our relationship to Himself, a relationship that has been ravaged and destroyed by sin. We can’t work our way into His grace. We can’t offer a sacrifice big enough or worthy enough to cover our sin. What we can do, however, is accept His gift of salvation.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

May you find true joy and happiness in the best Gift of the season — Jesus