It’s the gift giving season! Lights, shopping, laughter, food, and some stress as well all go into the season.
We always remind ourselves of the reason for the season, to slow down and give thanks. We remind ourselves that we give gifts to others to celebrate the precious gift given to us. But are we really using the gift for what it was made to do?
A baby born to die a torturous death for one reason and one reason only, and that is to pay the price, for our sins and restore us to the Father.
Thinking back on the birth of my first born son, I remember the feeling of awe over that new life in my arms. The immediate love that was so overwhelming in that moment. Love that was unmerited. My new baby had never done anything to earn my love. He never took out the trash, won an award, never looked at the camera while on the football field and said, “HI MOM”. He never even said, “I love you.”
Yet in the quiet of the night while I held my son for the first time, I knew that I was willing to lay my life down for this child. I knew I would do anything I needed to do to provide the best life possible.
Now thinking about what God provided with Christ. How could He give his Son to save us? I would lay down my life for my children, but I would never in my right mind, give my child to die for someone else.
To give my perfect child, to save a bunch in people who are covered in sin and don’t even know who God is? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? NO WAY!
Yet the author of love in His unsearchable wisdom, decided that giving His Son to die for us was the right thing to do, and in His Son, He placed a passion for all of us. A passion that did whatever it took to bring us back.
To bring back a people who could not take out their own trash, nor had ever given Him any glory, or ever said, “I love you”. Yet He loved us first.
This month we celebrate the birth of a child whose blood would be spilled to cover our sins.
This month, I am going to allow the gift given to do what it was meant to do. Cover my sins. I am not going to insult God by saying His gift was not good enough to save me. I am accepting Him as forgiveness for my sins, and then I’m to agree with what He has done, and forgive myself.
For me that is the most difficult thing to do. But to not forgive myself, is to say that the gift was inferior, or not good enough. It would be an insult to the one who loves me, even more than I love myself.
As we give gifts to others this year, let us begin by giving ourselves a gift as well, and live life covered in His blood, forgiving others as we have been forgiven. Let us begin to forgive, by forgiving our self.
We may have to walk through the consequences of our actions, but to accept His gift, we can walk through with confidence and joy that only comes from the Father.
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What a precious gift God gave us that first Christmas – how costly it was for Him. Thanks for the reminder – at this time of year we need to keep perspective before getting washed away in the busyness.
Thank you, tcsoko! Merry Christmas!
Love this, Diane! Such powerful words…"to not forgive myself, is to say that the gift was inferior, or not good enough." I think it is good for us to remember that pride isn't always thinking of ourselves too highly, sometimes it is just thinking of ourselves too much. When our eyes focus in on the cross, we become insignificant- both the good and bad parts of who we are.
I'm so thankful for God's gift of His son. And great reminder that He is enough!