THE VERSE
On that day the LORD their God will save them, as the flock of his people; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land. For how great is his goodness, and how great his beauty!~Zechariah 9:16-17a
THE THOUGHT
The presents are opened, the wrapping paper is crumpled up and thrown away, and chances are, some of the toys are broken already. Today is a good day to return all the unwanted presents to the store. Within a week, you probably won't be able to remember all the gifts you received. What did Aunt Carol send anyways-- a new tie or a new shirt? Even the presents we do love will ultimately fail us. The new bestselling book will be read and then forgotten. That new game will soon be relegated to a shelf in the basement, gathering dust. Your hot new electronic toy, your new computer or cell phone or iPod, will be obsolete in six months when the new model comes out. Even diamonds aren't really forever-- after a couple million years, they will actually turn back into coal. Of all the times of the year, post-Christmas may be the best day for clearly seeing our materialism for what it is-- empty.There is one Christmas gift, however, that does not disappoint. The gift of the child two thousand years ago opened the floodgates of heavenly gifts; Jesus' life, death, and resurrection bring us the undeserved and unearned gifts of salvation, forgiveness, justification, and eternal life. But even those gifts only point toward the greatest gift that God has given to His people: Himself. Our sins are forgiven so that they will no longer separate us from Him. We are covered in the righteousness of Christ so that we can boldly approach the throne of grace. We are saved and given eternal life-- eternal life which, according to Jesus, is all about knowing God. All of God's gifts bring us back to God as the ultimate good. And He truly is, for how great is His goodness, and how great His beauty! Taste and see that the Lord is good, and that the greatest gift we could ever receive is the gift of Himself.
THE PRAYER
God, Thank you for the gift of Yourself at Christmas and at Calvary. Your goodness and beauty are great, beyond my ability to fathom. Fill my soul with the all-satisfying vision of Your glory found in Your Word. Teach me to treasure You above all the things of this world.EXTENDED READING
Psalm 34:1-8Jeremiah 2:12-13
John 17:1-3
THE QUOTE
"Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future." ~Oscar Wilde
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