Christmas is a gift-giving season. Indeed the very first Christmas the Magi
arrived bearing gifts for the newborn Messiah.
Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh were bestowed on the King of the Jews who
was a gift in and of himself: “for the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through
Christ Jesus our LORD.” (Romans 6:23) The
heavenly hosts proclaimed this wonder singing in splendor, “Glory to God in the
highest, and peace on earth to all whom God favors.” (Luke 2:14) I envision the
shepherds having just another day in their fields when the entire night’s sky
illuminates with radiant beauty and the voices of angelic harmony begin to
surround them. The shepherds ran to the
village to “see this wonderful thing that [had] happened.” (vs 15) and when
they returned to their fields they were “glorifying and praising God for what
the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the
angel had said.” (vs 20) They celebrated
the gift of Jesus Christ born in their very village that night!
This advent as I focus on Christ the gift, I’m also focusing
on celebrating the other gifts I’ve been given this season. This is a meaningful
yet, very simple idea. However, I have found
the entire Christmas story simplified this year. We were teaching Rayna about Christmas being
a celebration of Jesus’ birthday. She
asked where Jesus is now and I told her that He’s living in heaven with
God.
“Will he come again?” She asks.
I reply, taken
slightly off-guard, “Yes, yes he will.”
“When Mom?”
“Nobody knows, that’s why we always have to be ready.”
“Hmmm. We always have to be ready. Maybe Tuesday?”
Tonight in my home Christmas songs play in the background
and I have just finished wrapping Christmas presents. I anticipate the joy on Rayna’s face when she
opens her gifts on Christmas morning and as she gives her gift to her father. Truly, these moments as a family are a
treasure. Daily I am taken by my
daughter’s beauty and by her compassion.
Her eyes are soft with love and her smile is playful. My husband and I are blessed to be
responsible for raising this beautiful girl, for teaching her, and for
equipping her to thrive in this thorn-filled world. What a gift!
In these moments I also celebrate my beautiful marriage to a man whom I
respect, cherish, and appreciate. I have
a partner in adventure and a man who keeps life light by not taking anything
too seriously. I love that each year I
learn more about this man and each year as he learns more about me I feel more
cherished than before. I celebrate these
gifts of husband and child which I hold in my heart this year, this advent,
this day, and as long as my mind stays sound!
I have placed gifts under my Christmas tree for my nephews
and niece which I am able to hand deliver later this season. On New Years we will be travelling to my
parents’ to celebrate Christmas together.
This is perhaps the sweetest gift I have been given this season. Mom battled hard against cancer this
year. I have only seen her ill this
year. But, she is now in full
remission. Beautifully, she is (a new
version of) well and we can celebrate together this year. We can celebrate the birth of our
Saviour. We can celebrate the gift of
time, of more precious moments with mom.
I celebrate that Mom can play with her grandchildren this Christmas. I celebrate that I can cook turkey dinner
with my Mom this year. I celebrate that
Mom sounds like herself again. I
celebrate that there is no detectable cancer in Mom’s body. I anticipate the celebration of extended
family! Praise God for what he has given my family this year!
I don’t know what
kind of year you’ve had. Maybe you too
have many blessing and gifts to celebrate as we enter this celebratory season. Maybe this has been the hardest year you’ve
had yet and it’s going to be the toughest, most emotional Christmas you’ve ever
experienced. Wherever you find yourself
I ask you to consider the one gift that we have all been given this season:
Christ. Christ himself came to Earth to
offer redemption. He came as a baby, he
lived as a man, he died to forgive our sins and now he lives in heaven with God
the Father. And guess what? Praise God,
Jesus is coming again! He is the one
gift we can count on when there’s no other gifts under our tree or when our
hearts feel empty instead of full. He is
the light of the world. He is who the
angels announced in marvelous splendor all those years ago. He is who the shepherds ran to meet and the
wise men journeyed to see. He is Christ our King, the gift who everyone can
claim this Advent and every day of the year.
Would you celebrate with me? Because, perhaps Christ will return on Tuesday.
