Gift

On the Christmas cards, it’s all picture-perfect. With a star illuminating the manger, three wise men, with their camels parked outside, bow down before the baby Jesus. And, of course, at the bottom of the card are the Hallmark words—Wise men still seek him today. But…let’s see what Scripture says about these visitors.

Children are God’s great gift! Check out this passage from the Psalms.

A great teacher uses different methods to drive home the point. That’s what God did in the Old Testament. He communicated his message in a variety of ways. Sometimes he used visions, dreams, and supernatural interventions. Other times he wrote the law on tablets of stone and delivered it to the people by his servant Moses. Then there were occasions when God spoke through the prophets by sending warnings and encouragement.

In a world seeking identity, satisfaction, and security, only Jesus delivers true joy. The joy Jesus gives is not the momentary heartfelt happiness of opening a thoughtful Christmas present or, much better, watching our children and grandchildren open their gifts.

Hope doesn’t just happen. It is brought about by spiritual discipline and growth. When your children speak at your funeral, I bet they won’t mention the expensive Christmas gifts. Let’s aspire for their focus to be on the gift of Jesus that you allowed them to see in you up close and personal. 

I believe that there are two big takeaways from today’s passage. First, when we mistakenly view our wealth as something we have earned rather than a gift from God, we will never truly be able to enjoy our resources. Our hearts will never be truly satisfied apart from Jesus.

But for the believer, things should be different. Every Christian must have a biblical theology of work. Work is a gift from God, so we should honor him in our endeavors. When we honor God with our efforts, we bring glory to him. 

In this passage, Solomon proclaims what the rest of Scripture confirms: God is in complete control of all things. He is omnipotent; all-powerful. This means that whatever God desires to do, he will get it done. If he desires something straight, it will be straight and remain straight. If he wants something crooked, it will be crooked and remain crooked. Of course, God’s desires, decisions, and actions will always be perfect. 

God holds it out to you right now. Receive the Gift of God, and your life will be changed forever.