Daily Christmas Presents


Do you remember as a child wishing everyday was Christmas? You loved opening up all the presents and seeing what toys you got and wished everyday was like that. Well maybe everyday is, but we are just missing it.
Recently I watched a video titled “Christmas Presents” produced by Forest Hills church in Charlotte, NC. You can watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSxPWpLPN7A
It depicts a man waking up and unwrapping all the wonderful gifts that we usually just take for granted: life, family, electricity, clean water, food, etc. 
In a country so blessed as ours we can often take for granted the vast number of blessings we have been given. If you are able to read this you have an ability that 774 million adults in the world don’t have. If you are reading this through your internet connection, you have something more than half the world’s population doesn’t have. And if you are able to drink a clean glass of water while you read this, then you have something that 663 million people don’t have.
Whether it is the ability to walk, see, hear, read, have clean water, shoes without holes, a warm dry house, electricity, clean clothes, or food on the table, those are all items that millions in the world don’t have. Everyday should really feel like Christmas! Everyday should be a new opportunity to thank God for the many gifts we have in this life, and that is not even considering the greatest gift of all­–the gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. God has given us His Son, Jesus Christ, and His Holy Spirit. Paul put it this way, “Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15). He didn't even have words to fully describe the amazing gift of salvation.
This Christmas take time to thank God for at least some of the amazing gifts we take for granted. Maybe we should wrap up a pair of shoes we already own, a bottle of water, and a Bible off our shelf and put them under the tree this Christmas. It might help us remember the vast number of gifts we take for granted every day.
God’s blessings to you this Christmas!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Perhaps the most quoted out of context verse in the Bible

Now I can’t say for sure that this verse is the verse MOST quoted out of context, but I feel confident it would land in the top five at least. You will hear it used in the field of sports or inspirational talks around the world. It’s Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Steph Curry writes that verse on his shoes before a game. It’s become his ‘mantra’ according to an interview he had with ESPN’s Nick DePaula. "It's a mantra that I live by and something that drives me every single day," Curry said. "It'll hopefully inspire people to find something that drives them, whether that's a verse or some other motivating force that keeps you hungry and keeps you driven." Tim Tebow would often have Phil. 4:13 written on his eye black for football games. You can find plenty of T-shirts with the verse emblazoned on the front or back. You find this in the fitness world particularly. If you want to reach that new PR in your bench
Read more

Give thanks in all circumstances?

 “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”                             I Thessalonians 5:18  What are your thoughts when you read that verse? Are you thinking,  Oh, no! Please, not the “give thanks in all circumstances” passage . I get why you might think that. The convulsions of chaos, war, and moral depravity afflicting our world feed fear rather than thanksgiving. Your circumstances may contribute to that as well. Financial stress, physical illness, and relational conflict pose a constant challenge to those words Paul penned to the Thessalonians. Give thanks in ALL circumstances. Really? We might hope the Greek provides some loophole in this exhortation and the ‘all’ doesn’t actually mean all. Sorry, but the Greek language offers no such out. All means all. So how do we obey such a radical and challenging exhortation? We look to Jesus. This morning for my devotions, I read the story of the Last Supper in Luke 22. Now I’ve read thi
Read more

A Heavenly Glimpse at the Life of VernaAnn

Flashes of Divine light and rumbles of celestial thunder emanated from the Heavenly workshop. Gabriel glided to the Creator’s workspace and lighted silently outside the entrance. He peeked inside the sacred shop and watched the LORD complete the final touches on a new soul. The LORD leaned back with a contented smile. Gabriel thought he heard Him whisper, “This is very good.” "Come in, Gabriel," the LORD said. His voice reverberated like the crashing of a thousand oceans. His attention seemed to be focused on His work and yet at the same time fully fixed on His angelic visitor. God’s mysterious omnipresence still invoked awe among the angels, including Gabriel. Gabriel had long ago realized that no one sneaks up on the LORD. He phased through the entrance and stood next to the Creator. "LORD," Gabriel inquired, "What will be the purpose of this soul?" "My dear Gabriel,” the LORD said as He laid His Divine hand on Gabriel’s shoulder, “this one will be
Read more