The best gifts I give my kids each year
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Cider on the stove, games of basketball in the driveway, puzzles and board games on the kitchen table, a toasty fireplace beside the tree, and the books we read aloud together as a family.
An Old Fashioned Christmas Story
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It was Christmas Eve 1942. I was fifteen years old and feeling like the world had caved in on me because there just hadn't been enough money to buy me the rifle that I'd wanted for Christmas.
Read MoreBible reading plan for the last few days before Christmas
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Today. beside the tree or right where you are. All you have to do is show up, because Jesus showed up. It’s that simple. If you don’t know where to start or what to read, here are a few simple suggestions:
Read MoreSalvation - Day 24 - Holiday Haiku
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"She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)
And isn't that the heart of the holiday? A Savior, born to die, to save us from the sins that we've committed: the ultimate scapegoat, the eternal passover lamb. I've always said that Christmas is about His death and resurrection as much as His birth. Without Easter Sunday, Christmas would be just another birthday.
If you have made it through advent, celebrating the tinsel and the cookies and the elf on the shelf, but somehow not yet understood the incredible love of God - that He would send His Son to earth to redeem you from all your sin-stained aches and pains - then I pray you have the eyes to see, the ears to hear, and the mind to perceive that He came for you. He left the glory throne of Heaven to chase you down in your self-suficient pride and woo you to salvation.
Salvation.
Dear friend, there is nothing on earth that you can do to clean yourself up, make yourself right and worthy to stand before God. The thoughts you think, the words you speak, the things you do, the motivations that lead you... can never be good enough, holy enough, to earn you access to heaven, and a right relationship with God.
Salvation.
You can't earn it. But you can receive it.
Salvation.
It is the greatest gift of all. But a gift is not a gift until it is received. This gift must be received by each man, woman, boy, or girl.
Salvation.
Have you received this gift?
It's as simple as ripping all the paper off your Christmas morning presents. Here's a prayer that you can pray if you believe:
"Jesus, I can't do this on my own. I need You! I see now why you came to earth. You came for me. You came to save me. You came to live a perfect life because I couldn't. And then you died in my place so that I wouldn't have to. Now I get to have an eternity in heaven with You. You saved me. And I believe it! Thank You for being my Savior. Thank You, in Your Name, Jesus, I pray, Amen.
And so, with all the hustle bustle behind us now, here on Christmas Eve - the wrapping of gifts and the decking of halls is all done - we are celebrating the heart of Christmas.
Our Savior - and the Salvation He came to bring.
Today is the final day of our Holiday Haiku Challenge. If you missed any of the series and would like to start at the beginning, join us here.
A very special thank you to those of you who advent-ed along with me this December. May you enjoy celebrating our Savior, unwrapping anew the Salvation He came to deliver to those who would simply receive this most incredible gift.
Merry Christmas,
Wendy
Christmas Presents - Day 23 - Holiday Haiku
/Welcome to Day 23 of our Holiday Haiku Challenge Today's charge is to write a simple haiku inspired by
Christmas Presents
Those you buy,
those you receive,
and maybe a nod to the greatest gift of all.
