Seeing the Gifts of Christmas
Sitting here staring out the window, that stack of Christmas cards in front of me is now the furthest thing from my mind…
I find myself distracted by the morning light that’s just beginning to peek through the windows. It looks like the birds are waking up too. I can see that there’s a little bit of snow still left on the ground. What a beautiful gift this morning’s turning out to be! It’s always exciting to see the snow; those first sparkling white gifts of the season let you know Christmas is on it’s way.
Maybe one of the reasons it seems like a gift to me, is snow has a way of quieting the world outside while it is softening the spirit within. Have you ever noticed that? That calmness sets the scene for your heart to open to the miracle of God’s creation. It’s much more than just a pretty white blanket on the ground, snow can be a gentle reminder to slow down, and to allow oneself the time to cherish what this season has to offer; to really begin SEEING the gifts of Christmas.
What are some of the gifts of this season that touch your heart? Is it the weather, your family and friends, or maybe you truly love all of the decorating and the attention to those tiny details of Christmas? Or could it be this year has made you put something unexpected at the top of your list; is your heart longing for life to return to “normal?” Many people are longing for that very same thing. However as much as that may be our hearts desire, we can’t go back. But we can begin to move forward, cherishing the gifts that are in each moment of this day and opening our hearts to all the possibilities of tomorrow.
Our greatest possibilities begin with the “light of life” that was given to us over 2000 years ago. In spite of the ever changing and unprecedented times in which we all find ourselves, that gift is never changing: forever it will remain the same. Guiding us, lighting our path each step of the way.
“When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said,
I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness,
But will have the light of life.”
John 8:12
God’s one and only Son, Jesus, is our gift of light and life. But the gifts of Christmas do not stop there, there is more. “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (I Corinthians 13:13).
God’s gift of love arrived to us in the humblest of fashions, in the midst of uncertain times, not so very different from our own. That is part of the beauty of this miracle. This gift of love, that was given to everyone of us, didn’t wait for the perfect time nor the perfect place. In spite of there being NO ROOM for Him in the Inn, that tiny babe STILL arrived! (Luke 2:7)
Can your mind’s eye picture it? Can you see the magnificence of the gift of that tiny bundle of love coming down here? It was for you and me that God sent His very own Son. To be born, and a little over thirty years later to die, so that He could rise up and change the world; our world. What a wonderful gift we have been given! All that He asks of us is to accept His gift and BELIEVE!
Wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas and to say thank you for taking the time to visit me here on the Porch, please enjoy this very special song that invites us all to
“Come and Worship”
“Angels from the Realm of Glory” by the “Lighthouse and Compass” https://bandzoogle.com/tracks/303608/2469397758/2538271.html
