I was driving in to work this Christmas Eve morning and just began to reflect on Christmas. I became grateful at the gifts I received…you know, the reason for the season.
I’m thankful for the Lord’s FAVOR. There are times when I look back in my journey and realize the Lord has secretly placed gifts of favor all along my way. Favor with circumstances, favor with people….and then I smile because it was kind of like a surprise…I didn’t realize it until afterwards. Another example of this is how His favor rests on my family in so many ways. This has been a good year when I look at how my kids have been blessed.
I’m thankful for the gift of His PRESENCE…not to be confused with “presents”. I may not do the best job of being aware of my surroundings on a daily basis…but He walks with me…He desires to have fellowship with me. Imagine that…the Creator of this whole Universe actually has time for each of us….that’s just amazing!
As we keep opening presents here, it’s kind of following my Christmas traditions growing up. We always started small and moved toward the grand finale…which was usually the most expensive gift. The gifts I’ve opened to this point are incredibly important to me and they take a back seat to nothing…but, I have to start somewhere. So on we go…
I’m thankful for GRACE. I want to make good choices, and I love the Lord. But so often, I seem to get in my own way and it leads to many stumbles. God’s gift of grace has been so appreciated when I begin to walk down the path of shame and condemnation. I’m so thankful that I serve a God that won’t abandon me when I crank up the AC/DC.
This could go on for a while so I’ll fast-forward.
I’m thankful for SALVATION. You wonder why this isn’t the greatest gift? Wait and you’ll see in a minute. I’m 54 years old…still young in so many ways. But I’m willing to admit I have less days ahead of me than behind me…at least I hope so. I watch the world around me getting so very crazy, and yet He has given me another gift…PEACE. Because I know this is not my kingdom and my treasures are not here on earth, my 401-K can crash, my health can turn, our freedoms can be taken from us, and I know deep in my heart this is not the permanent situation I was called to exist in…I’m just traveling through the chaos. Once I leave this body, I will have eternal life with my Creator and with loved ones who have gone on before me…see you soon Dad.
The next gift I am thankful for is FORGIVENESS. See, Salvation is as wonderful as I described it a minute ago…but if we don’t accept the gift of Forgiveness, we can’t even begin to enjoy the benefits of those previous gifts. I look back on my life and all the bad decisions I made…even as far back as yesterday….and I am thankful that Christ came for exactly these reasons. I consider the problems I will create in the future due to my bad choices, and I am thankful that the previous gift of Grace will allow me to continue to enjoy the gift of Salvation…but it all begins with accepting the gift of Forgiveness. If we’re too prideful to accept this gift, we have removed ourselves from the party.
Finally, I am thankful for the gift of God’s LOVE. Us Christians can do a real poor job of representing this gift to others, but it is this gift first and foremost which leads to Repentance. If we didn’t experience this gift of God’s Love for us in the first place, we would never have known what was ahead of us…the incredible gifts He had in store for those who love Him.
It was only a 25 minute drive to work, but man was it a good commute today.
Merry Christmas.
Gordon