And the Gift goes on
The Father gave the Son
And the Gift goes on
The Son gave the Spirit
And the Gift goes on
The Spirit gives us life
So we can give the gift of love

I love the Christmas season but, if I’m honest, the gift exchange is one of my favorite parts. As an adult, it’s become less about what I receive and more about what nice gifts I can find for my family within my price range. This will not be one of my more stellar years in that department, but I still look forward to sitting in the living room with a hot cup of coffee, some cream and flavoring inserted, and maybe even some sugar-free Reddi-Whip on top, watching my nieces and nephews, brother and sister-in-law open their gifts. In our family, we have one person open gifts at a time, beginning with the youngest and ending with the oldest, which happens to be me, but I don’t mind. Seeing the joy on others’ faces is as exciting as eventually finding out the contents of the packages patiently waiting on my lap.

As Christians, we know that there is much more to the Christmas season than the gifts we give to each other. The reason we celebrate is due to the fact that God gave us the ultimate gift over 2000 years ago when He sent His Son to earth to be born of a virgin, a feat that only God could have accomplished. When Jesus ascended back into Heaven, He gave us the Spirit in order to comfort us and to guide us into all truth (John 16:13). He keeps on giving to each of us today.

In Matthew 10:8, Jesus told His disciples, “Freely you have received; freely give.” In context, He was talking about casting out demons, healing the sick, and raising the dead, but He also desires us to give what we have received. More than “things,” those around you need love, forgiveness, a kind word, a smile, maybe even a hug. (I know during the COVID era, people are concerned about getting that close to someone, but I hope you will be led by the Spirit rather than by fear.) And don’t stop giving after the holidays are over. It is always a good time to bless and encourage others. Let’s make sure that the Gift goes on.

I hope you all have a very blessed Christmas week. And don’t forget the real Reason that we celebrate.