Christmas Presence

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.” —2 Corinthians 9:15

Is this the Bible verse that you normally think of when you think of Christmas?

Probably not. . . .traditionally we go to the second chapter of Luke and begin with, “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.” (Luke 2:1)

But it makes a wonderful study to look throughout the Bible for other verses which point to the coming of God’s gift to us—Jesus Christ! We can even look at the verses as far back as Genesis 12:2-3 as a promise of the coming of Jesus’ presence on earth:

“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you;
I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:2-3)

This promise to Abraham can be traced throughout the generations of Israel, and it will find fulfillment in the truth that all people on earth are blessed through our Messiah, Jesus Christ. What an indescribable gift of grace!

Another well-read part of the traditional Christmas story is found in Matthew 2—the visit of the magi. The gifts offered to the Christ child are recorded as gold, frankincense and myrrh. When my friend Jenny returned to the States after her family’s assignment in Germany, she read a Christian magazine article about these three gifts from the wise men which gave her an idea. It was during their Germany assignment that she and her husband adopted two Russian orphans, a sister and brother, which brought the number of their children to six. Buying Christmas presents for six children—well, she was looking for help! The article made this suggestion—give your children the same type of gifts that the wise men gave the baby Jesus. Here’s the idea:

Gold—Gold is valuable, so she picks out an age-appropriate and valuable gift that the child actually wants or needs. Jenny puts a price limit on it and even wraps it in gold paper—which she buys on sale the year before.

Frankincense—Frankincense was used in worship, so this gift is something spiritual. . . .perhaps a new Bible, a devotional book, a CD from a Christian singing group, a video which teaches a spiritual lesson. Jenny wraps this gift in white paper.

Myrrh—Myrrh was a substance meant for the body, so this gift is something for her kids’ bodies—like new pajamas, clothes, or even something from the shopping mall store for lotions, etc. Plain brown wrapping paper conceals this gift.

Get the idea? Jenny reports that her Christmas shopping has been simplified and that her nativity set looks so beautiful every year with gold, white, and brown packages surrounding it . She has passed this idea on to other military friends, and we’re all grateful!

The best gift of all is the indescribable gift of Jesus Christ, the savior of the world—“For God so loved the world, that He GAVE his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) May the presence of Jesus Christ in your heart and life be the very best gift for you this Christmas!

Questions to share:

1. Have you thought of Jesus as a gift of salvation that you receive? Timothy writes, “I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on Him and receive eternal life.” (1 Timothy 1:16)

2. Are you feeling alone during this deployment? Read Psalm 16—share what you learn. His presence can be very real to you this Christmas.