The Gift

 For God so loved the world that He gave His Son.   A gift.  Freely given.  With love.

Someone gave me a gift yesterday.  It was entirely unexpected from someone who would not be in my ' gift giving' circle of friends and was a spontaneous moment of kindness and generosity.  Lovely.   Really made my day.   Not because of the gift (a book which Im actually really looking forward to reading) but because of the thought and the action. It made me feel appreciated and ...... well.... nice 😇

At this time of year we are all in ' gift' mode.  I doubt there are many people across the Christian world who aren't contemplating giving at least one gift this Christmas.  Even people who are alone without family will consider giving their hairdresser or their postman or their bin collectors a wee something this month.  Or making a donation to a foodbank. Or giving to charity.  Its just that time of year when, regardless of the state of the economy and the level of our bank balance, we make the effort to give.

We all know that Jesus is the ultimate gift.  But I suspect that most of us at Christmas feel thankful to have received Him and acknowledge everything it cost God to give Him to us and leave it at that.

Today's challenge is this.   How, this Christmas, can I GIVE Jesus to someone?  Or to everyone? 

Let's face it, right now what people need more than anything is not another Lynx body spray or pair of gloves.  What we all need is peace.  Certainty. Security. Hope.    But that's all a bit.... well... wishy washy, isnt it?   When Jesus came as The Gift, yes He did bring us light and hope and joy and peace, but to the people He met He brought physical healing, deliverance, life changing teaching, food to the hungry, storm calming authority, death defeating love.   He was real and He did real things for real people to change their circumstances.

This week Ive met two lots of people who have been fostering children.  One family with a view to adoption.   Now that's practical love isnt it?   I was also super impressed to find out that someone in our local council had something like 200 tonnes of firewood to give away - so he contacted all the local churches to ask if they could use it to give out to people who have open fires this winter.  Our church got a trailer load and we have been in touch with the community seniors group who know all the older people in the village who will appreciate a free gift of firewood this winter.


All of this is well and good.  Im sure that, like me, you are doing your charitable bit this Christmas.  But its not quite the same as Jesus doing it.   If you know what I mean.    We can give out firewood or even foster a child and it be ' us'  not Him.   It might be motivated by Him.  But its not actually Him.  ( Im not sure Im making sense here but bear with me)

What I think I really want to be doing this Christmas is the Peter and John thing of ' Silver and gold have I none but I can give you what I do have - in the name of Jesus get up and walk' (Acts 3)   Id like to go to the local foodbank and pray that their shelves multiply food miraculously.  Id like to go to the local hospital and pray healing at every bed and see everyone get up and go home for Christmas.  That would be the gift of Jesus. Id like to see the alcoholic delivered from their addiction and the desperately anxious released from their chains of fear at the mention of the name of Jesus.  

The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.  Help me Jesus in my unbelief.  I want to give someone YOU this Christmas. 


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