Four Simple Gifts

Faith

It’s not a new concept, only new to me. I’d never heard it before, but wish that I had heard the idea when I was a young mother.

My daughter shared with me that this year she is using the idea of Four Simple Gifts for Christmas this year with plans to continue it as a Christmas tradition.

Each child receives Four Simple Gifts for Christmas:

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE the idea and wanted to share. This simple idea is a way to keep our focus on the things that really matter, and keep CHRIST first this CHRISTMAS…

I recently shared this with a group of young Moms, and have since heard different versions of it, but each carried the idea of choosing four meaningful gifts.

I used the Four Simple Gifts and gleaned some gifts from God’s Word:

1) Something you WANT: Wisdom

Through the years, this has probably been my number one request. As a young parent and now as the parent of adult children that are giving me grandbabies, I continue to ask God for wisdom. I’ve heard that the best definition of wisdom is, “seeing life from God’s perspective” and the book of James tells us,

” If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” James 1:5

Sometimes the only thing I know to do is pray. And sometimes the only thing I know to pray is, “God, please give me wisdom!” I’ve never claimed to be a theologian, and just because my husband is a pastor doesn’t mean I gain all of HIS knowledge through osmosis! I tend to be the more practical one, and when I hear a sermon or read my Bible, I want to know the answer to the question, “So what? What now? What is God saying to me? How does this change my thoughts or actions?” God’s Word is the most practical message for every generation. His Words are tested, tried and true!

2) Something you NEED: Perspective

If it’s true that wisdom is seeing things from God’s perspective, then we all are in need of a fresh perspective. Life has a way of giving us a new perspective sometimes doesn’t it? I can remember reading the Christmas Story after having my first child–the story came alive for me anew as I related to a young Mary giving birth in such a strange place…

Christmas can be a time of great joy–or great sorrow. It’s often difficult for us to see beyond our circumstances, but when we keep our eyes focused on Jesus, He can give us a healthy perspective. I can’t help but think that even if Mary and Joseph fretted over their situation, the moment Jesus was born, HE WAS ALL THAT MATTERED! We will celebrate Christmas without my Father-in-law this year, a young mother of four will celebrate without her husband who is deployed with the U.S. Air Force, and grieving families in Connecticut will struggle through the holidays… Life IS hard, but the message of Christmas is HOPE. Our hope lies in eternity–and for some of us, heaven is even more real to us today. Take this gentle reminder that it REALLY IS ALL ABOUT JESUS!

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6

3) Something you READ: God’s Story

In many of the countries I’ve traveled for mission trips, copies of God’s Word are a commodity…

com·mod·i·ty: (2.)something of use, advantage, or value.

I’m afraid we’ve lost sight of the value of this gift we’ve been given. We’ve opened it, looked at it, and gone on to the next thing on our agenda, much like a spoiled child on Christmas morning.

It seems like every year I am renewing my commitment to read God’s Word more. The truth is, the more I study it, meditate on it, and apply it, the more I crave it. When was the last time you craved a word from God? He’s written His message on the pages of His Book…don’t put it up on the shelf where it collects dust~~devour it like a book you can’t put down.

4) Something you SHARE: The True Meaning of Christmas

Giving gifts to my children and grandchildren at Christmas is one of my greatest joys. I love Christmas and try to put lots of love into my gifts, anticipating the excitement and joy on their faces when they open their treasures.

What great injustice would I be doing if the only thing I ever gave them was the sacrifice of material wealth. The time that I spend showering them with love and attention still would not be the greatest gift I could give them. More than anything in this world, my desire is for each of them to accept the greatest gift ever given–the gift that came to us that first Christmas morning… the Son of God, sent to save us from our sin. He may have come in human form, but He was God in the flesh. He came with a purpose far beyond what any would understand until that dreadful day when He fulfilled that purpose by becoming the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of the world. My sin. Your sin. The sin that has damaged our world and our hearts.

“But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because He will save his people from their sins.”” Matthew 1:20-21 NIV

His life and death has been and always will be the focus of our faith, but the story didn’t end there, because He demonstrated His power over sin and death and hell. Our HOPE–the message of HOPE–is meant to be shared. So many only know the Jesus of the manger, and this Christmas we can, like the shepherds, “Go and tell..” the Good News that a SAVIOR was born!