A Free Gift

In the spirit of Christmas, let’s talk about giving.

You know how it is. You’re like Santa Claus, making a list, checking it twice, and buying gifts for those who aren’t naughty to you but nice.

Or maybe you do buy some naughty ones gifts anyway.

When you buy a gift, it costs you something. You either shell out a few dollars to buy something or you spend time making it. Even if you re-gift something, someone along the line had to pay for it.

The feeling of giving is free, right?

If you’re buying a gift for someone you don’t see that often and maybe don’t even like or know that well, giving can cost you something emotionally. You’ll wrack your brain trying to find something appropriate. You wonder whether the recipient will like the gift or give it to someone else when a gift-giving occasion arises for him or her. When you do this, you’re essentially just trying to impress the other person, aren’t you?

When the dust of the holidays settles though, neither of you will care.

Jesus has given us a gift that is absolutely appropriate and meets the greatest desire any of us have - to be part of something meaningful and to know that all that is messed up about us will be okay in the end.

Jesus did pay a heavy price to obtain this gift for us. He lived the life we couldn’t live to get along with God. By doing that, Jesus removed the barrier between God and us. He lifted the weight of our guilt and replaced the empty space with unconditional love, acceptance, and the promise that all will be well in the end.

What does this gift cost us? Nothing. We don’t have to pony up any money to get it. In fact, money won’t buy what Jesus gives. Our promises to get better won’t get it for us. Even better, we don’t have to get dressed up first to receive it. God provides the cleaning up so we’ll be ready to drink from this fountain of life.

All we have to do is ask (Revelation 22:17).

Asking means we trust God to keep His promise to fill us with His presence and peace and make our lives whole. We’re all on the naughty list until God makes us nice.

Ask. Then be thankful.