WHAT WILL YOU RECEIVE FOR CHRISTMAS

Tom and Sara spent their Christmas vacation in an Indian village where they once lived as missionaries.

On christmas morning the Christians attend the mud-brick chapel to celebrate the birth of the Saviour, and for three hours they worshipped, sang, prayed and rejoiced. So it was mid-day when Tom and Sara arrived back at the thatched-roof home kindly loaned to them. As they began to talk joyfully of fellowship with the Indian Christians, there came a knock at the door. Tom hurried from his chair, opened the creaky door to Elder Paul, who passed a small parcel to him.

‘I have bought you a present,’ he said, stretching out his arm for Tom to accept the gift. Tom hesitated to receive from one so poor in money and possessions. But humbled by the love of his Indian brother, Tom accepted the gift, and welcomed Elder Paul inside, where he beckoned Sara to unwrap the parcel.

Tom and Sara gasped as the paper fell away revealing a bright red apple. They knew that the apple cost Elder Paul half his week’s wages. A true sacrifice from this gracious man. How could Tom and Sara show their gratitude, but the elder assured them,

‘You teach us the meaning of God’s Words, and I want to say ‘thank you’. Tom and Sara were sent from their church in Australia to spend six weeks back in this village. Daily they taught the young and old, to prepare them to train others to understand the Scriptures, just as Paul encouraged Timothy to teach.( 2 Timothy 2:2)

Now it was Sara who beckoned Elder Paul to a cane stool, and invited him, as she poured a cold drink, ‘Come Elder Paul, please sit down and share the apple with us. ‘ And that was their Christmas dinner. Tom recalled, ‘It was the most precious gift we received.’

Could you be content with an apple for Christmas? What gifts do you expect?

Our generous God lavished us with Christ-gifts. They do not arrive wrapped in shiny paper, decorated with stars, trees or flowers. His gift came wrapped in swaddling clothes - strips of cotton material wound around a baby’s body at birth - a baby, laid in a manger. God gave us His Son, Jesus Christ, born to be our Saviour.

Soon after Christmas the tree under which we place our gifts for family and friends will disappear as rubbish, but God lives forever. ‘ I will give you eternal life, and you will not perish, and no-one will take you out of my hand,’

Amazing!

Even more He has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. You couldn’t wrap God’s blessings in Christmas paper, for His gifts are great. There is no short measure with God. His gift of faith, the blessing of prayer, His love, the scriptures in our own language, His presence, fellowship with Christians, the privilege of sharing His love with those who do not know Him.

How disappointing to open a tin of peaches and find more juice than peaches. Half -measure. God’s gifts are full-measure, and when He says all He means it. Our response to His gifts of forgiveness, love, joy, peace, and all spiritual blessings is to accept the gifts with thanks, and display them to enrich our homes and families, fellowships and community.

We take the gift of faith from God and express our love and gratitude as we obey His Word and live by the power of the Holy Spirit.

David, too, knew of God’s gifts. He said, ‘ I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy.’ Was he thinking how God saved him from a bear, the lion, Goliath, and Saul’s javelin? Or God’s forgiveness when he repented from his sin with Bathsheba? Undeserved favour of God in abundance.

There are 365 mercies each year, for Jeremiah said, ‘ God’s mercies are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness.’ A new gift each day. While we calculate the monetary extent of our gifts, God’s giving is limitless, without price.

Paul caught the glow of God’s giving when he assured his Ephesian friends that He prayed that they may be ‘filled with all the fulness of God.’ Why, that covers every experience of life. Every longing. Every need. Each challenge. Our families. Our marriages. The lonely. The widow. The fatherless. God’s life and fulness are gifts available for all.

Oh, catch the glory of Christmas. It is greater than the gift of an apple; its more than a Christms tree. It exceeds a sumptious Christmas dinner, or the excitement of unwrapping parcels and presents.

Christmas is God Himself giving His Son to be our Saviour so that His death on the cross effects our reconciliation with God, entitling us to all the privileges extended to the family of God.

Have you acknowledged Jesus as your Saviour?