It seems as though it was only a week and a half ago or so, that I was sitting on my family room floor surrounded by piles of tissue, wrapping paper, and ribbon. I was in a wrapping frenzy! I had set aside an entire day, from morning until night, to complete this project of wrapping my family’s Christmas gifts.

What I thought would take a day, turned into two, and a few late nights sprinkled in here and there! After I had selected what I hoped would be the perfect gifts for our family, I then set about to carry on the Christmas tradition my Mother had started. We  choose the perfect paper and ribbon for each person to create the Christmas stack of gifts! They would be revealed as our family came around the corner, saw the Christmas tree, and spied the stack of gifts prepared especially for them.

Then it began, within seconds, the paper of each gift carefully and painstakingly selected just for them became an instantaneous pile of torn rubbish. Isn’t it sobering to realize that the amount of time, effort and money we spend on outer adornments only serves to reveal the GIFT that lies inside?

I was reminded at the end of the unwrapping of our gifts, that the true meaning of Christmas lies within. I always dread the day after Christmas. Knowing that it’s over and that I have to wait a whole year until it’s here again. But if I truly have received the GIFT of Christmas-the Savior Jesus, Immanuel, God with us, meaning God with ME, then Christmas truly never ends.

The GIFT of my Savior being with me, living IN me, and enabling me to do His will each and everyday, stays with me even after the adornments of Christmas are put away. Yes, I will put away my treasured ornaments and take down my Christmas tree and lights. The stockings will come down and the beautiful snowflakes I love so dearly will be packed away. My Christmas dishes will be carefully wrapped and saved until next year, but the GIFT of Jesus Christ my Savior and Lord will remain with me throughout the year!

Truth Bomb

In unwrapping the true GIFT of Christmas, we find that the outer decoration only adorns the beauty of what’s inside!

As you enter this week, between Christmas and the New Year, and look at the adornments of Christmas that decorate your home and life the few final days before they are packed away for the season, may you and I both reflect on the Truth that outward sparkle and decoration is not what we offer others. The true GIFT we offer is our heart, reflecting His love to everyone.

“People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7

I look forward to starting a New Year with all of you next week, and a new series!

Speak Truth Love