By Bill Burmeister
We all like receiving gifts. Many of us enjoy searching for the perfect gift and watching the joyous reaction as that gift is opened. What’s your favorite part of the celebration of giving and receiving gifts? Remember your unencumbered excitement as a child as Christmas approached?
Many of us enjoy searching for the perfect gift and watching the joyous reaction as that gift is opened.
Imagine the joy and satisfaction God must have had when he sent His perfect gift to the world in the form of a baby, Jesus. The gift that was totally undeserved by us, promised by the scriptures, and looked upon with great hope. Christmas reminds us that giving is the very nature of God. Jesus was God’s gift to the world, promised because of Adam’s defiance. God didn’t just give us a baby, He gave us a Savior!
Jesus was and is the expectation of the ages. God’s generosity in giving His own Son ushered in hope and made Heaven possible for us all. His Word says we are created in the likeness and image of God. That generosity is reflected wherever the Gospel takes root in cultures around the world and in our hearts.
As we celebrate with family and friends this Christmas Season, take a moment to reflect on all the gifts we have received and how we can impact our family, our friends, and our world. Are we communicating the messages that we want them to hear? Have we prepared our families to receive the gifts of faith and treasures with joy filled hearts? As we receive the best gift, the promise of eternal life, have we made plans to share our earthly gifts with ministries that share the saving good news of Jesus?
That can mean a Special Christmas Offering demonstrating our thankfulness for the generosity that God has shown to us. It can also be the time we contemplate our future. When we realize the gift of eternal life, what will we do with our “Stuff”? Take the time to review your plans or put a plan in place to bless your family plus leave a special Estate Gift to the ministries that have the biggest impact on your life. Our thankful response to the “Best Gift” can be an example that sets a clear course for the next generation.
This blog courtesy of Bill Burmeister at Church Extension Fund – Michigan District. If you’d like more information, please contact him at 800-242-3944 | bill.burmeister@mi-cef.org
