There are gifts of Christmas no tree has ever seen. Gifts so dazzling . . . so valuable . . . so incalculable. They are the gifts of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. But you don’t have to wait to open them. You can begin today!
As you daily reflect upon readings from the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, you’ll be piling up the spiritual gifts of our Savior’s coming. Gifts of light and life, hope and joy, peace and salvation, grace and truth.
Because of Jesus—His incarnation, miracles, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension—there is so much more to celebrate than Christmas this time of year. For, having mercy, in goodness and grace, God came to us—to those perishing and suffering, burdened and weighed down by religion, the law, and the world. He came to His creation to renew and recreate. To give to His own the great gifts of salvation.
The season of advent was designed to celebrate that coming, that new beginning, by contemplating the Christ with a longing for Him in the wait. While the waiting days before Christmas can be fraught with difficulties, making the gospel the heartbeat of those days can alleviate many of the pressures that come with the season. The real joy of commemorating His coming will be yours when Jesus is the center of your celebrations.
It is my prayer that this daily devotional will increase your awareness of the greatness and glory of Jesus. And help you prize the gifts He has lavished on us even more. But, to count them? Well, that would be equivalent to what Athanasius posed: it would be like looking at the great expanse of the sea and trying to count its waves. We can blissfully try, though. So, let's!
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