The Perfect Gift

Christmas is upon us.  I love dressing my house with all the holiday décor and enjoy all the festivities that accompany this time of year.  Along with all things “holidayish” comes the time when we get to bestow well-thought-out gifts on our favorite people.

Around the dinner table, our family enjoys deep discussions such as, “If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?” Or, “If you could meet a famous person from the past or present, who would it be?” Christmas-time discussions include topics such as, “If you could gift anything you wanted to someone, what would it be?” Or, “What was your favorite gift this year?”

This question carried over into my prayer/devotion time a few years back during the holiday season. I thought, “Lord, of anything that I’ve received or ever could receive, the perfect gift that ever came along at Christmas was that You were born.”

Having God in my life is the most precious gift. I began to think about how blessed I am that He guides my footsteps and is my provider and protector. I am blessed to have had Jesus in my life since I was a child, raised in this precious Truth. I reiterated this thought to my girls of how blessed I felt to have the Lord in my life now and throughout my entire life, beginning so many years ago when I was a little girl. I told them how thankful I am that they have the same experience of knowing Jesus from when they were just small girls.

At the close of Christmas night, when the house is tidied back up, all the dishes washed and put away, and everyone is tucked in bed (while visions of sugar plums dance in their heads), I like to sit down with my journal, light a few candles, grab a cup of hot chocolate, and write down my thoughts of Christmas time, of the year that is passing and the new one that will be beginning.

This particular year, as I journaled, I thought, “I’m not really sure what I gave to You this Christmas season for Your birthday, God, but You sure blessed me.”

I began to think about this. What could I give to God?  He’s probably not into Xbox, guns, or new ties.  What could I give Him?

And then I got a revelation. I know what the perfect gift for God would be! He would be so pleased if, in this coming year, I could try to be all that He would love for me to be. If I take His Word and align myself with it. When He convicts me of something I’m not doing right, I come clean before Him, don’t try to defend myself and make excuses for why I am not what I should be. If I start and finish each of my days and “to-do” lists with prayer and make sure that I set aside some time to fast, then maybe I can fulfill God’s plan for me in the coming year. In that way, I am “presenting myself” to Him.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present (a gift for God) your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2)

this devotion was reprinted from the parents and leaders newsletter by today’s christian girl.