Have you opened your gift yet?
When you're an adult, Christmas seems more of a mad frenzy of giving out gifts rather than receiving. But when you are a child of God, you are never too old to receive gifts! He’ll never say, “Get out of here! I don’t have time for you!” Instead, He always says, “Come here, child. I’m so glad you’re here.”
So on this Christmas eve, let’s take off our “grown-up hats” for a minute and be kids again!
I'm so happy that we're forever children when God is our Father. He's got Gifts for you and me! Let's open one.
GOD'S CHRISTMAS GIFT #1: COMPLETE FORGIVENESS
What a way to start Christmas day—completely clean and forgiven. A fresh start for the year ahead.
I want you to:
Think of something in your life that you REGRET doing. I can think of a lot of things I wish I did and didn’t do. Bad decisions. Or words I wish I never said.
Whatever your guilt or regret is, it can keep you tossing at night, or mentally kicking yourself in the butt. We’d rather drink to keep from thinking; laugh to keep from crying; blame others for our misery; and find a way to distract or amuse ourselves to avoid facing the truth that we blew it! Not just once, but several times.
Maybe it's a lousy decision, made years before. But the memory stays fresh. Maybe it’s a relationship gone bad. A temper blown. A horrible exchange of words. Maybe it’s worries for the future.
Regrets. Some avoid it, ignore it, and live in denial. Some keep it, relive it, and live in guilt .
This Christmas, God's got a gift for you! The tag has your name in it. Yes, YOURS. : ) Reach in and hold your gift. It's wrapped in a manger.
What is it? TOTAL FORGIVENESS, wrapped in hope.
Breathe that in. Embrace it.
Yes, despite every bad decision. Despite that wrong relationship. Despite your most horrible mistake or secret or blatant sin—100% Forgiven. For EVERYTHING. A clean slate.
It's yours to claim not just on Christmas, but in your LIFETIME. What a gift! It's almost impossible to comprehend.
Only a sinless Being has the right to grant such an audacious gift. He came to earth that first Christmas to deliver it in person.
We pay our purchases in cash or credit card. Even on installment. That's not the way God hands out His presents. Jesus paid our gifts in FULL in his own blood, sweat and, tears. Paid in full. “Tetelestai”. “It is finished”. Remember his last words on the cross? It’s done.
His life was the price. His suffering the cost.
Jesus paid with his life what the richest gazilionare could never EVER afford to buy.
Complete Forgiveness. A Fresh Start. Mercy. Hope.
HUMILITY is the key that opens this gift while pride is the lock that keeps you from receiving it.
You see, we've got Christmas all mixed up. God is the one who gives gifts. That's the Good News. Our Savior has come. We can be forgiven. It's not too late.
A PRAYER:
Dear Father,
Thank you for giving me my first Christmas Gift: the gift of Complete Forgiveness.
I come to You just as I am. Strengths & weaknesses. Blunders, bloopers, sins & all. I admit and repent of all my sins, specifically the following:
__________________________________________________
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I'm sorry for the way I have lived my life and put You aside. I was wrong. Frankly, I have no power to save myself. The good stuff I try to do will never be enough to pay all the bad in my life, I am really just a sinner saved by Your amazing grace.
Thank you Jesus for coming that first Christmas. Thank You for paying the price that I could never pay, and to receive a gift I don't deserve. Thank you for the gift of complete forgiveness. I receive it humbly and gratefully. Thank you for the gift of a clean, fresh start. Thank you for being my Savior for life.
Let this Christmas be a more meaningful one for me & my family.
Help me share this gift of forgiveness with others. Let healing begin in my heart, that I may share it to others. By your grace, I choose to live a life that honors You.
(Thank you for reading! Have a blessed Christmas from my family to yours : > )
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