Flourishing Life

“Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect.” –– Oren Arnold

Of course, the greatest Christmas gift of all is Christ, himself. Have you received this gift?

The tradition of gift giving and receiving began as a way to commemorate the gifts of the Magi which were given in Bethlehem some time after Jesus’ birth. We give and receive gifts as an integral part of our Christmas celebrations to remember these gifts, the gifts fit for a King. But truthfully, the one Christmas gift that matters the most is the gift of salvation.

Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” What do I do with a gift? I receive it. This is a most valuable gift, it cost Jesus his very life. I can’t earn it. I can’t do enough good things to count myself “worthy.” God’s gift is freely given. I can only receive it. And this I must do.

God’s gift to us is salvation. Our gift to God is what we do with his gift. This Christmas I want to receive that gift and live it. Live as one whose life has been redeemed, changed, transformed into the image of the Son.