It IS About The Presents!

Merry Christmas to each and every one of you!

It’s been a year to forget, that’s for sure, and a year that we need to count our blessings that we’re still here, walking around after the whole COVID thing. And it’s a really good time to do some deep thinking.

As I was thinking about what Christmas means to me, and watching scads of TV commercials on the latest/greatest Christmas presents to get that “special someone” in our lives, it hit me. All the while I’ve been preaching about how we need to stop the commercialization of Christmas and get back to the roots of the holiday, I realized I’ve been wrong.

It really IS about the presents!

That, after all, is the reason we celebrate Christmas in the first place. If you’re a Christian, you believe that God gave us his Son, Jesus, to not only teach us how to live, as we had screwed it up many times previously, but also to absolve us from our sins and grant us the chance at eternal life in Heaven. If that isn’t the greatest gift of all, I’m sorely mistaken!

And yes, this is one of the few times of the year that I discuss religion. But today, it’s warranted. Think about the gift God has given you. Think about how every single day you wake up, it IS a gift from God…and you are able to live that day as you choose. I’m not saying we’re all in perfect health, or that you can’t do everything that you necessarily wanted to do that day. I’m saying that you are given a gift today, and everyday, and need to be thankful for it.

And the gift that was given to us about 2,000 years ago is the greatest gift we could ever receive. What other present under your tree this year (or any year) shows total, undying, unconditional love and forgiving for every wrong you’ve ever made? How many sins if you had to list them would you have? I don’t think I can count that high! And for the Great Creator to send in his Son to take those sins, erase those wrongs, and cleanse you just for asking? That has to be the greatest gift of all!

So, yes…Santa Claus may bring our kids gifts. We may scrimp and save to give our children a nice Christmas every year. And we may have to brave bad weather, leave our Thanksgiving celebrations a little early to join the Black Friday rush to save a few bucks on the latest toy that zoomed to the top of their wish list. But those things pale in comparison to the gift you received before you were a gleam in your parents’ eye…before you ever were thought of being born. God knew you were coming, and He made amends for your sins before you got here.

And so, yes…it IS about the presents. It IS about the receiving, as well as the giving. The only question we have to ask ourselves is, are we ready to actually receive the gift?

Merry Christmas!

Carry on world…you’re dismissed!