Wednesday, December 18, 2019

SABRINA Next week, at the end of December 25th, most of us will have opened our gifts. We might have been thrilled, mildly surprised, or even disappointed; but at the end of the day, we are the same person as we were before the gifts. Such is not the case when we have received the Ultimate Gift that we celebrate. In that gift, we receive grace and forgiveness, become a part of an eternal family, receive the precious gift that will protect and empower us, and we receive peace. You see, at Christmas, we celebrate the astonishing love of God – the marvel and the mystery of God loving us so much that He chose to become one of us – coming into the midst of the world’s problems and pain; up until then, invisible, transcendent God came near in the touchable form of human flesh. Our Eternal God stepped into time – so at the end of this time of gifts and giving, let us not lose sight of why we celebrate – let us not focus on tangible gifts that bring only temporary happiness. Let us remember the greatest gift – God stepping into time, becoming human, to save us from ourselves. THAT is truly the greatest gift for all eternity. Merry Christmas!