Suggested Reading: Luke 11: 11-13
Today,
some Christians will be celebrating the Feast of Saint Nicholas. Nicholas was a
bishop and leader of the church in what is today Southern Turkey. He was known
for his generosity as well as his participation at the Counsel of Nicaea.
Nicholas gave generously and anonymously, sometimes throwing money through open
windows, or down chimneys. From these
devout roots grew the myth of Santa Claus. Behind the mythical generosity of
Santa Claus, and the historical generosity of Saint Nicholas, is the immense
generosity of God.
God
is kind and generous to all His creation. He has created a beautiful world
filled with good things for us to enjoy. Every good and perfect gift comes to
us from the hand of the loving Father who created us and placed us here. The
universe is an intricate and exquisite design with almost infinite diversity
and power beyond our comprehension.
God
gives us all we need to live. He provides the food we eat, the water we drink,
and the very air we breathe; and He does this for everyone. He doesn’t just
give good gifts to those who love Him. His makes the rain fall on everyone. He
generously gives to everyone, even those who will never acknowledge Him, let alone
thank Him.
But
there is a special gift that is offered to everyone, but not everyone receives.
God offers Himself. He offers to buy us back from our wrong ways of thinking
and behaving. He offers to free us from the slavery and tyranny into which we have
sold ourselves. He offers redemption and freedom.
When
I was growing up we had candy in our stockings, and small gifts under the tree,
but there was almost always a big gift, an extravagant gift that would blow us
away. We immediately attacked the candy in the stockings, and were always
grateful for the small gifts, but Christmas was the one time in a year that my
parents would give us a huge extravagant gift, usually beyond even our childish
imaginations.
I
can’t imagine leaving the biggest and best gift unopened on Christmas morning?
Can you?
God
generously gives us all things, including Himself. He is the biggest gift!
...................
Questions:
Are
you daily receiving God’s gift of Himself to you?
How
can you be generous to someone today?
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