The Gift of Gifts

Last December Michael wrote: In the Puritan Book of Prayers, The Valley of Vision contains a devotional about the Gift of Gifts. At Christmas we celebrate the gift God gave us of salvation in Jesus. Every day signifies the peace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

According to the Puritan’s prayer, “O source of all good, what shall I give back to you for you gave me the incomprehensible gift of your love ... your Son, my Savior Jesus Christ. Herein is the wonder of wonders. He was born like me so that I may become like Him. This is the meaning of love. Though I could not approach Him, He drew close to me so that I may be embraced in the comfort of His love and grace. He came below to raise me above through wings of grace unto Himself.“ 

Luke 2 verse 7 and following is the story of the first Noel, Christmas. “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field … The angel said unto them, fear not for behold I bring to you glad tidings of great joy which shall be unto all people. For unto you is born this day in the city David, a Savior which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you… And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God and saying, “glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

Herein is the power of God made manifest when the eternal God brought life into created men and women so that He could create His spirit of life within them. For He sent His son so that through His death He might pay the ransom for my captivity in sin to satisfy the balance of God’s righteous standard by the shedding of His innocent blood in exchange for my guilty blood. The angels brought glad tidings of great joy, for unto you is born this day a Savior which is Christ the Lord. 

O God, take me into the spirit, to the watchful shepherds ... lead me to watch, praise, rejoice and adore Jesus. Let me find my joy in thee O Lord. He has redeemed me through the perfect payment of His innocent blood on my behalf. For He who was without sin was made the perfect sacrifice for sin on my behalf that I might be made the righteousness of God in Him. 

There is no joy in the fleeting passing things of this world. There is no promise of life in this world. Our surety is in our life in Christ. As Missionary Jim Elliot said, He is no fool who loses that which he cannot keep to keep that which he cannot lose. The things of this world will soon be passed, only that which is done in Christ shall last.

O Lord God, Enlarge my mind and expand my horizons to bathe my heart in an ocean of rest in thee. My eyes lifted up to a reconciled Father through my Lord Jesus Christ, that I might look upon my Savior through the eyes of the spirit of Christ in me. To look at myself, I’ll be depressed. To look at those around me, I’ll be distressed. To look at Christ I’ll always be blessed. Let me ,as Simeon did, clasp the newborn Christ to my heart, that I may exalt that I am His and He is mine. May we ever be mindful that every day is Christos-mass. More of thee (the gift of gifts) and less of me…that we may be to the praise of the glory of His grace,

Your brother in Christ, Michael