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gifts and Christmas

 


Christmas is the time when we all tend to give.  We want to fill others with love and even hope.  That is why we often sacrifice to make this happen.


Sacrifice is not a new idea for those who choose to obey God.  Since the beginning of time the understanding of and the need for sacrifice has been very important.  Sacrifice ought to cost something.  Be careful not to casually follow or to do things in a way that doesn’t honor God. 


2 Samuel 24:24  NASB

However, the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will certainly buy it from you for a price; for I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.


Give what is from the heart.  Our gifts should be costly and from our hearts.  That is best seen in why God gave us the best gift of all in His son.  Jesus cost the Father everything.


David said he wouldn’t offer anything to God that cost Him nothing.  When we honor and esteem God, we will make sure that our gifts to Him are of substance.


Christmas is a special time of the year.  We know that gifts are important.  We focus on buying and enjoying giving joy to others. I believe as most of you do that the greatest gift of all was Jesus.  He remains the best and strongest gift.  He is greater than anything and anyone else.  Hold Him high.  Watch how God brings all this together.


Matthew 7:11  NLT

So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.


The focus on gifts is not a new one.  You would always take a gift to the one your were honoring and visiting, as the wisemen did.  May we be the ones offering gifts.  May those gifts be in honor and worship of God.  May we use gifts to help others see and honor God as well.


This is the Christmas season.  May we be found lifting up the one who really matters, honoring the God we follow and love, giving our lives as a sacrifice to serve Him with all we have and are.


Romans 12:1  NLT

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

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