Receiving Gifts
I have been looking at the five love languages trying to determine how I receive love. One of the “languages” is receiving gifts. I have experienced the loss of my Mom around special occasions such as birthdays and Christmas because she was a gift giver. This year, I must admit, I have been experiencing more sadness and even a bit of anger over Christmas this year. My focus has been on the loss of Mom and not on what I consider my primary love language which is quality time with my family. The circumstances have changed this year over the last two years. I have given Satan an opportunity in my circumstance. I have kept my focus on things that are temporal instead of focusing on the eternal gift of Jesus. Satan has used my circumstance to cause my anger and keep me focused on what I have lost.
Jesus’ birth was announced by the angel to the shepherds. They went to see for themselves what the angel had spoken about. Once they saw Him, they went out to tell others what they had seen. Jesus came to give an eternal gift of life. God is the author of love languages. He gave us the best gift of Jesus. Jesus came to take away the sins of everyone who believes in Him. How awesome is that gift of the first Christmas? Why should I focus on something so insignificant as temporal gifts rather than the true gift of Christmas? Nothing can compare to His precious gift. When I focus on the temporal, it is disappointing; it is less than I desire. Nothing I get for Christmas will ever compare to what Jesus gave to me first and foremost. I received the best gift about forty years ago, but I have only come to realize how precious that gift truly is.
I am reminded that the shepherds rushed to share what they had been given. They were given a precious gift of being the first to know Jesus. No one else was visited by an angel. No one else went to see the baby Jesus. The wise men saw a new star. They started on a journey to find the true meaning of the star. When they found out about the star, they went to find the child responsible for changing the heavens. They too had an experience with Jesus. Although they took gifts to Jesus, Jesus ultimately gave them the true gift. Did they receive it? We’ll find out the rest of the story in heaven. How awesome will it be when we come to the place where we will hear the rest of the stories in heaven! That is truly a gift to share!
For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17
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