A child will be born for us. A son will be given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. He will be named: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. – Isaiah 9:6

There they were, kicked back in Dad’s recliner while watching Christmas shows. Every once in a while as with any show on television, there would come several commercials advertising the latest and greatest toys for that Christmas season. And without hesitation, they would both in unison begin quoting, “want one dem too”, next commercial, “want one dem too”, next, well you get the idea. I still have that picture embedded in my mind as well as on video tape when I captured the moment listening to their audible Christmas list. As I reflected on that moment this past week, of course I couldn’t help but smile within as I thought about my children’s innocent requests.

Yet, almost immediately, I also become somewhat disheartened when I look and read upon what society has reduced this holiest of seasons to. Every year we hear of businesses who have made a decision to stop saying “Merry Christmas” so not to offend anyone. So many people have lost sight of what the true meaning of Christmas is all about. We tend to look to God as a “genie in the sky” or a spiritual “piñata“ready just to pour out goodies upon us. That he is there to fulfill our every whim and desire. All we have to do is tell Him as my children did so many years ago, I “want one dem too”, and “one dem too”, etc., and “poof”, our wishes are granted.

The Bible says in James 1:7 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” Jesus was God’s greatest gift to each and every one of us. Grace, Mercy, Forgiveness, Salvation, Love.., all wrapped up in the form of an innocent, sinless sacrificial lamb for each and every one of us. He gave us what we didn’t deserve while withholding that which we did.

It literally blows my mind when I think about God’s love and the extent at which He went to in order to express that love to us. So far as sending His only Son in order that we might live eternally and fellowship between us and Him would be restored once again. Taking upon Him the sin of us all.

As we continue in the Christmas season, I pray each of us would evaluate our lives and consider what we have to offer Jesus, God’s greatest gift to all of us. It might be a habit, an addiction, forgiveness towards someone who has wronged us, our attitude, or most importantly, simply the gift of ourselves to Him.