THE UNOPENED GIFT
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
It's been 2 weeks and most all of the boxes have been picked up from the living room. There are still one or two back in the corner that hold a couple gifts that were for me and I have put them to use yet. They'll likely be there for a couple weeks. The decorations are still up and Linda would leave the Christmas tree up until spring most years if she could. It's hard to take it down, it adds a warmth and beauty to the house. We've rushed around for the two-three weeks prior to Christmas making sure everything is perfect and ready.... Now it's so hard to take down the beautiful lights.
It seems that every year there's one or two gifts waiting for someone that didn't get here over Christmas.
Unfortunately every single year there is an unopened gift under the tree of so many homes all over the world. The entire Christmas season goes by and the Gift goes unnoticed. It sits there amongst the toys and other gifts that are pushed back in after being opened.... Even after the tree comes down it sits there.... Completely missed.
From Thanksgiving on, everyone hears the saying, "Jesus is the reason for the season", and most of us agree.... But the gift is still there unopened. We can know that Christmas is a celebration of Jesus' birthday, but the gift under the tree isn't for Him... no, it's from Him. God sent a gift and we celebrate it every year... but far too many people never open and except the Gift.... The Gift that is Jesus.
It is so simple. The gift is eternal life and not only that but a much better life here on Earth. Jesus said in John 10:10b, "I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly". When the song says, "Joy to the World"... that's what it's talking about. The Gift that lies there unopened brings Joy in this life.
There are no contracts to sign, no payments to make. The gift is totally free, so why not open it... it comes with a lifetime guarantee not to go away... Hebrews 13:5b "Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you".
To accept this free gift offered by the God that created us is so simple. Just tell Him, "Lord I confess that I've sinned against You and Your truths." And "I believe. I believe that Jesus did come as a baby, born, lived, died on the cross and rose again... to save me from an eternity in hell and to give me a "life more abundant". That's all it takes to truly celebrate the reason for the season, accept the gift.
If you've opened that gift in the past... I ask you to commit to pray for one person that has never accepted the Gift from God. Every day ask God to reveal Himself to them that they might now the Joy that came to the world.
As those that already know the Joy of having accepted the Gift of Jesus.... Our prayer should be that there is not a tree left in this world with an unopened gift when the Christmas tree comes down.
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