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 verses which point to the coming of God’s gift of 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 finds fulfillment in the truth that all people on earth are blessed through the 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, frankin- cense and myrrh.  When my friend Jenny returned to the States after her family’s assignment in Germany, she heard a radio broadcast about these three gifts which gave her an idea. It was during their Germany assignment that she and her husband had 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 radio program made this suggestion—to give your children the same gifts that the wise men (magi) gave the baby Jesus.  Here’s the idea:

Gold—gold is valuable, so this is an age-appropriate and valuable gift that the child actually wants, needs, or asks for.  Jenny puts a price limit on it and even wraps it in gold paper—which she buys on sale the year before.  This is a great reminder that gold was a gift fit for a king. . . . and Jesus is our King of Kings. 

Frankincense—frankincense is 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.  This is a great reminder that frankincense was a scent used in the temple by the priests . . . and Jesus is our perfect High Priest.

Myrrh—myrrh is an ointment meant for the body, so this gift is something for her kids’ bodies—like new pajamas, clothes, or even something from the mall store for lotions, etc.  Plain brown paper wrapping conceals this gift under the Christmas tree.  This is a great reminder that myrrh was a valuable perfume and used for preparing a body for burial . . . and Jesus was born to die as our Savior for the forgiveness of our sins. 

Get the idea?  Jenny reports that her Christmas shopping has been simplified and that their tree looks so beautiful every year with gold, white, and brown wrapped packages underneath.  She has passed this idea on to other military friends, and we’re all grateful for the idea. Perhaps you can imagine the opportunities for discussion concerning the true meaning of Christmas because of this method of gift-giving.

Here’s another gold, frankincense, and myrrh gift-giving idea (just in case you’re looking for something unique and inexpensive) . . . from soapanetta.com.  Every year the maker of these hand-made soaps prepares a batch especially for Christmas made out of the fragrances of frankincense and myrrh and with pieces of 24 karat gold added. Contact Dave at Soapanetta if you are interested because this is another way to remember what happened in Matthew 2:11 when the magi met Jesus: “After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him.  Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”  

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 life be the very best gift for you this Christmas!

“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”  Luke 2:10,11

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 to yourself, or maybe even to your spouse.  His presence can be very real to you this Christmas.