Gifts...bigger than you think.

Tomorrow is the first half of Christmas programs! I feel pretty calm and good about the programs tomorrow and Friday. I think everything is organized and hopefully it'll run smoothly. I'm happy not to be stressed about it. Whatever happens, happens.

My sister is here visiting and it's been nice to hear about her life and to show her a glimpse of mine. It's like getting to know a new friend!

I know it's not even Christmas yet, but I was thinking through the set list and the worship service for the Sunday following Christmas. The text is going to be the song of Simeon and the pastors want to focus on Jesus being the gift of Christmas that is unwrapped. When Mary and Joseph took their Baby Boy to Simeon, he would've had to pull back the blanket that Jesus was wrapped in, in order to see Him. We open so many gifts and watch others open gifts as well, but that's so temporary. Jesus is that gift that is sent to us on Christmas! He is the gift of light and life that came down to us on Christmas and continues to do so. Not only do we get the joy of unwrapping this gift of Jesus by digging further into His Word, praying to Him, and worshipping Him, but we see an even greater gift in Him. When Jesus died on the cross, He was laid in a tomb that was sealed tightly and was never intended to be opened by those who had it sealed. But God, like a Father of a tiny child who is unable to open her own gifts, opened the tomb and brought the gift of the resurrection to us that we might have life as well. The greatest gift opening ever!

"But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!" Romans 5:15

Gifts are fun to open and fun to give. I pray that as you open gifts during Christmas, it'll remind you of the gift that Jesus is this Christmas and the gift that God opened for us when He rose. It makes everything else seem so minuscule. Oh, how our Father loves us. :)