Christmas can definitely become more than we are able to bear at times. So many people get stressed out during this time of year. Yet the story of Jesus is really very simple and amazingly profound at the same time.
Jesus came to earth to take our sins to the cross and give us forgiveness and eternal life. We are enriched because of Jesus and because of the gift of God. God’s gift to us came in the human form of grace:
Gift – The principle of grace meaning that salvation cannot be earned or deserved, but it is given to us by the love and mercy of God.1
Redemption – The price of grace was paid for by the redemptive blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.2
Access – The privilege of grace is that we have the right to enter into the presence of God because of what he has done for us.3
Character – The produce of grace is the change we experience in our lives from the inside out. We are made brand-new in him.4
Eternal Life – The promise of grace is given to us through eternal life now and forever with Jesus.5
Because of God’s precious gift, we can have life. There is a big difference in breathing and living. If you’re alive, you’re breathing. But just because you’re breathing doesn’t mean you’re living abundantly. So many people don’t know this wonderful life enriched by the love and grace of God. And without this abundant life, seasons such as this can be very difficult.
It’s much like a real Christmas tree—not one of the fake ones. You buy it from the tree farm, take it home, put it in water, and then decorate it with lights and ornaments. But when you take that tree out several days after Christmas, the needles will be dry, sharp, and brown. Even though the tree looked beautiful when it was decorated, it was cut off from its life source.
While it may not have looked like it was dead during the time you displayed it in your home, it was. People today without the life of Jesus Christ are like that beautifully-ornamented, lit-up Christmas tree. They may look fine on the outside—driving the nicest cars, wearing designer clothes, living in the finest homes, and having all the material items or money in the world—but they are dead on the inside.
But God does not want us to be like the dead tree. So even though the “wages of sin is death”, the most precious gift we can ever receive is “the free gift of God…eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). I urge you to accept the most precious gift, God’s grace, this Christmas. If you are convinced that God’s way is the only way to meaningful life now and eternal life in heaven, you can tell him in words like these:
Dear God, I do believe that Jesus died for me and took the punishment for my sins that I deserved. I want to receive your free gift of salvation and eternal life. Thank you for this precious gift!
Bible references:
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Ephesians 2:8-9,
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Romans 5:8,
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John 1:12,
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2 Corinthians 5:17,
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Romans 6:23