THE GREATEST GIFT
Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, and the government will be on his shoulders.
For a guy that's a little north of 60, I have a pretty good long-term memory. I might not remember where I put my keys this morning, but I can recall with vivid clarity a Christmas morning, about 52 years ago, where I was tearing the wrapping paper off a box that had been hidden behind the tree. As I got through the paper, it revealed a bow tied around a 410 shotgun. I remember that magical moment down to the smells and feels to this day. I also remember knowing, even at that young age, that Christmas was really about the birth of Jesus.
Now, 5 decades later, I find myself battling to keep at the front of my mind what I knew then deep down in my young heart: that the greatest present of all was, is, and always will be Christ. It seems as though the busyness, buying, giving, and getting of the Christmas season work together to drown out that specific truth. They might do that, yet on Christmas morning I choose to remember and cherish that Christ is God's ultimate gift to all people and all creation. Even more than that, I desire that my children and grandchildren remember the magnificence of what God has done. The verse I shared at the beginning tells us, "To us a Son is given...and He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6). How much more will we savor the time spent with family, the eating, and the giving/receiving when our hearts hold fast to the gift of our Savior? "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:11)
This Christmas morning, I pray that your family will be wrapped up in the goodness of God's great gift by sharing this simple devotion. Perhaps don't make the children wait to open their gifts, but at some appropriate moment, you could gently draw in everyone's attention and share a brief reflection on the greatest "gift" of all time. If you would like to do something similar, consider sharing this devotional.
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas... keep Christ at the center of this wonderful season!
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