Whats In a Gift?

Seasons greetings to all...

Today I took a friend of mine to a rehabilitation center in Florence...After we got him checked in I went shopping for a bible for my son...

The streets and stores were crowed with all kinds of people who were looking for just the right gift...Maybe they we looking for a special gift for their spouse or maybe their children...I saw a young man going into a jewelry store and I wondered if he was looking for that outstanding gift for that special young girl in his life ...

I met an elderly lady in a Lifeway Christian book store...She was looking for a special bible for her son...She told me he was 48 years old and has just started going to church...I thought that was so cool...He is 48 and I know his mom must have been at least 80...(I hope she doesn't read this) Any way I helped here figure out which one she wanted to get him and away she went...I over heard some young lady asking the man behind the counter for some music...The song was "Mary Did You Know..." They said they didn't have it but listen, if you have never heard that song, get it and listen to it...It is a great song not only for Christmas season but really anytime of season...It is about Jesus...Truly, we must know that anything that is about Jesus is really, really, good...

I bought my son the bible I believe he wanted and of course I bought myself a few books to keep me occupied in my spare time...

All this just made me think about gifts...but what truly is the greatest gift of all? Do you know?

Jesus is the perfect gift for all seasons but especially at Christmas time...

The gift Jesus offers is Eternal Life...there is no way that anyone can beat or give a better gift than that...

In John 11: 25-26, we hear the words of Jesus Himself telling each of us about this special gift...(25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die...Believeth thou this?

What is the message of these two verses...?

In this passage Jesus makes an amazing promise:

Those who believe in Him will receive the priceless gift of eternal life...WOW!!!

How truly amazing is it that God became a man and walked among us! I find it so great that our God walked down the same roads we do...He even preached to His people from the bow of a ship...I love that because I make my major living from boats...The gift walked among us...

Had He not chosen to do so, we might feel removed from a distant Creator...But our is not a distant God...Ours is a God who understands--far better that we ever could--the essence of what it means to be human...

God understands our hopes, our fears, and our temptations...He understands what it means to be angry and what it cost to forgive...He knows the heart, the conscience, and the soul of every person who has ever lived, including you...Accept it...

Accept God's gift though the person of His Son, Jesus Christ, and then rest assured: God walked among us so that you might have eternal life; amazing though it may seem, He did it for you and me...

As mere mortals, our vision for the future, like our lives here on earth, is limited...God's vision is not burdened by such limitations: His plans extend throughout all eternity...Therefore, God's plans for you are not limited to the ups and downs of everyday life...Your Heavenly Father has bigger things in mind...much bigger things...

Let us praise the Creator for His priceless gift...and let us share the Good News with all who cross our paths...we return our Father's love by accepting His Grace and by sharing His message and His love...when we do, we are blessed here on earth and throughout all eternity...

As you struggle with the inevitable hardships and occasional disappointments of life, remember that God has invited you to accept His abundance not only for today but also for all eternity...So keep things in perspective...Although you will inevitably encounter occasional defeats in this world, you'll have all eternity to celebrated the ultimate victory in the next...

Whats in a gift? In the gift of Jesus, we must see that salvation consists wholly in being saved from ourselves, or that which we are by nature...sinners

What will you do with the gift of Jesus? This is one gift that is priceless...you can't buy it at the Mall, or book store...It is free, all you must do is believe...

Robert N. Graves, Sr.

Fisherman for Christ