HAVE YOU RECEIVED, AND ARE YOU ENJOYING YOUR GREATEST GIFT?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
Thanks be unto God for his indescribable gift.
(2 Corinthians 9:15)

MEDITATION:
The Christmas season is a time of giving. In the life of a believer,
every day of the year should be a time of giving. We should have
a desire to give love and encouragement all the time.
    Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.
    Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,
    not looking to your own interests but each of you
   to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4)

They are the kinds of gifts that can be difficult to describe in their
appearance, but we can explain them by our actions. We live in a
selfish, “me only” driven world, which makes it much easier to
detect those who have surrendered their lives to the Lord.

In His ‘Sermon on the Mount’, Jesus alluded to the importance
of our visibility to a lost and dying world.
    “You are the light of the world. A town built on
      a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light
      a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put
      it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in
      the house. In the same way, let your light shine
      before others, that they may see your good deeds
      and glorify your Father in heaven.”
      (Matthew 5:14-16)

We are expected to “shine” so that others will have a desire to
know the Lord as we do. It is not something to be taken lightly
in the life of a Christian. But we cannot be a light until we have
accepted our gift from God. His gift is also difficult to describe.
How can anyone explain the depth of His love, forgiveness,
mercy and grace?

Of course, a gift is not a gift until it has been accepted. God has
given us His Son, but ownership is conditional on our acceptance.
He does not force us to take His gift, but He asks us to receive by
faith His inexpressible gift of His Son, Jesus Christ.

God’s gift to mankind is wrapped in love. Most people gratefully
receive a gift when given in love. The greatest sin a person can
commit is to refuse God’s love. A person who deliberately refuses
God’s offer of love, mercy, grace and forgiveness is lost, and
doomed to an eternity separated from Him.

ACTION:
If you haven’t received God’s gift, then maybe He is encouraging
you now to accept what He is offering you. If you have received
His gift, then maybe He is reminding you of the importance of
your responsibility to be a ‘light unto the world’.

Perhaps there are things you are doing (or not doing) which have
dimmed the brightness of your light. Jesus has told us that others
are watching us, to see if our faith in Him is real.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for your unmatchable gift
to the world and to me. I am reaching out for Your gift
of Jesus Christ, which includes forgiveness and eternal
life. I ask You to help and guide me in my efforts to put
my light on a stand, and not to hide it as if I am embarrassed
for receiving Your gift. I pray that I will not take lightly my
responsibility to You and to others. Help me to let others see
a glimpse of Jesus through me.”

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