1inchrist

I remember Christmas at our house being larger than life! No matter what it was we wanted, it would always be in our house on Christmas morning. I remember presents would overflow from under the tree to take up a whole lot of room in the parlor. To see that as a child, to have that expectation every year, was so amazing and exciting. I don’t know anybody who had as huge a Christmas as we did.

I used to love the excitement and anticipation of going to the basement for the BIG present that couldn’t fit under the tree or stay in the living room

(like my Air Hockey table and Alex’s Bumper Pool table).

While giving gifts can be an expression of Love, we were well aware that gifts cannot take the place of Love. Many kids have all the stuff they want (all year round) but are empty because their parents did not love them . . . they appeased them with gifts.

While we didn’t have a “Christian” home growing up, I am still amazed at how we were raised us by God’s standard.  It’s easy to look at the Christmases we had back when and say “they didn’t know the real meaning of Christmas” (because of all those gifts). I would disagree. Just as we weren’t raised in a Christian home yet were raised by Biblical standards, our Christmases weren’t Christ centered but do reflect much of God’s character and message to mankind.

Just as our Christmases were larger than life, The Gift GOD gave the world IS LARGER THAN LIFE. The Gift HE gave was Himself. HE gave HIS life for us so we could have Eternal Life – which is much larger than life as we know it!

Just as we got whatever we wanted at Christmas, we have all that we have need of in this life (and the one to come) IN CHRIST JESUS! HE promises to provide for all of our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). In 2 Peter 1:4 we are told God has given us exceeding great, and precious promises! Peter goes on to tell us that the reason HE gave us these promises was so that we “could be partakers of HIS Divine Nature.” 1 John 5:14-15 tells us; This is the confidence we have In Christ, that if we ask anything according to HIS WILL

(i.e. Word ), HE hears us; and if we know HE hears us (because we ask according to HIS Word), whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of HIM.

Christ has given us all gifts that overflow from us to those to whom we minister just as the gifts overflowed from the tree to the parlor. The love of God was poured out to overflowing from the tree (cross) which HE died on. His blood poured out for the forgiveness of our sins. My parents gave us great gifts in spite of our behavior (sins). The only way  they were able to do that was through self sacrifice. The only way GOD was able to give us the gift of eternal life and all those great promises, was Self Sacrifice too!

Just as my parents were able to do, GOD wants us to know that although HE has given us so much, this life is not about us getting what we want when we want it all the time. This life is about Loving Him, walking in faith and obedience to His Word (as we had to do with you), and esteeming others better than ourselves and giving / ministering to those in need.

Just as we had great anticipation for the Big gifts that couldn’t fit under the tree; GOD has great gifts that have not been revealed too! The Bible says: 1Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

We should have great anticipation for Eternal Life, the

Kingdom of
Heaven with Christ Jesus and our loved ones, but none of that is able to fit into our finite minds, let alone under a tree. We will have to be led forth from where we live to a place not seen on the main floor of our lives (and homes). But, just like it was for me as a kid, we KNOW it’s there and we can look forward to going there with great excitement and anticipation! The only difference is GOD has HIS biggest gifts UPSTAIRS!!!

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