Oh the joy of Christmas through the eyes of a child! Our three young kiddos (9, 6, and 2 years old) received a great spread of presents this season. Each one happily tore through the brightly-colored wrapping to discover new trucks, dolls, trains, Lego sets, candies, and more! They sweetly expressed gratefulness to us and their other benefactors (a.k.a. grandpa, grandma, aunties, uncles, etc.).
But now a week after that giddy morning, the gifts are rather scattered. Some still receive attention… Carson wants me to re-read his books each night. Hudson continues to examine his Legos. Everlynn cheerily plays with her kitchen coffee set. Yet other items – so treasured on Christmas morning – are already gathering dust in the corner. A bit of fatherly detective work proves that two certain stockings are already entirely empty. The chocolates and treats have gone the way of all other tasty candies: down the trap and into the stomach they go, never to be heard from again!
Gifts that Don’t Diminish or Disappear
More than the most chock-full Christmas tree, the multi-faceted gifts of God wrapped up in Christmas abound. Through the miraculous gift of Christ’s incarnation, we as broken, messed-up humanity, can behold God’s glory:
“Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw His glory – the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father.” (John 1:14; NET)
Through the gift of Christ’s first arrival, all of us stumbling around in darkness may finally have light:
“In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men . . . the true Light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” (John 1:4, 9; cf. Luke 1:77-79)
Through receiving the gift of redemption in Christ, you and I are adopted into God’s family:
“He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” (John 1:11-12)
Athanasius of Alexandria, an ancient defender of Christian doctrine, specifically Christ’s full deity and humanity, rejoiced in this wondrous good news:
“The Son of God became man so that men might become sons of God.” — Athanasius (296-373 AD)
What a shocking reality. Christmas – the celebration of Christ – pours out gift upon gift from the bounty of God’s grace toward undeserving, sin-riddled people. Yes, we who are prone to playing in the mud of self-righteousness! We, who are regularly entrapped by the snare of distraction! We, who wander into the Enemy-devised lies for satisfaction in pleasure, power, and possessions! We, who forget God’s mercy and falter in our faith! Yes, God in Christ came to be the Savior for all of us…all who receive Him by faith according to the sovereign kindness of God.
So in the gift of the Son, Jesus Christ, we rejoice…today and beyond! We praise the Giver of life and light, grace and truth. Why? Because His grace has super-abounded to us!
