Boring Gifts

As seen in the  "The Heartbeat" and published in the Hot Springs Village Voice

Parents, can you remember the floor on Christmas morning littered with all the opened gifts and torn wrapping paper?  Children opened each one in a frenzy, and when all had been unwrapped, they took stock in what they had received. They began to play with each one, asked for batteries (which you purchased ahead of time), and the fun and noise began.

As the time went by, hours turned into days and days turned into a weeks, the excitement of the new gifts began to fade.  The tree has been disassembled, the decorations boxed and placed in their spot in the attic, and some if not most of the gifts the kids received are stored in the top of their closets.

So why does something which was once exciting turn into the mundane?  These stored gifts may be taken down from their high places and enjoyed every few months.  But less and less time is spent enjoying them, and they certainly aren’t as exciting as when the wrapping first was removed.

Is our "born again" experience with Christ like a Christmas gift?  Some will say there is no one more exuberant than a brand-new Christian!  They want to "show" the world their new gift of eternal life, and boy are they excited.  But if we set aside the excitement for a short time, it seems to have diminished the next time we want to share the gift with others.  The more time it spends on the shelf, the less we enjoy it when we once again review the inner workings of the gift!

The season of Lent is a time of reflection, repentance, and examination of the gift purchased for us over 2,000 years ago.  While it is a somber time, we should no less be excited about the gift of eternal life we have been given.

Let’s walk daily in the assurance this gift we have received is the greatest gift we will ever receive!  Knowing this, we should look at every single day here on earth as an opportunity to tell people about the gift given to us from our Heavenly Father, purchased by His Son with a price collectively the world could not even pay.

The grave is empty.  Death has been defeated.  And we have a place to live forever that is far more amazing than any gift we have or will ever receive.  Jesus is alive, and the giver of this gift. Thank Him daily, and walk in excitement, assurance, and love – then be prepared to share all of these with the people you meet!

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