Reflect on the following:

Can you remember what you got for Christmas last year? How about 5 years ago? How about 2,000 years ago?

The magic and excitement of receiving gifts at Christmas has somewhat diminished for me as I’ve gotten older. Like most Australians I am blessed with having everything I need and a lot of what I want. Throughout the year I am my own expert self-gifter. I can search and click and have exactly what I want delivered to my front door within days. It kind of takes the shine off receiving a gift from someone else who may not really know what I like.

Yet some gifts cannot be bought for oneself. Money can't buy genuine friendship or love. Forgiveness and hope cannot be ordered online. Spiritual healing and true peace aren’t products we can purchase. These things, we all really long for more than anything else, are priceless and unpurchasable.

The Bible says these precious gifts are on offer to us through Jesus. When Jesus was growing in virgin Mary’s womb over 2,000 years ago, he was named by an angel Immanuel meaning “God with us” and Jesus meaning “God saves,” because he is God come to earth to “save his people from their sins” (see Matthew 1:18-24). Jesus is the OG Christmas gift that offers all who would receive him that which we long for most… unconditional love, genuine forgiveness and the deep spiritual peace of being in right relationship with God. Nothing bought from Myer or Amazon can compare to that!

Have you received the OG Christmas gift? What could be better than the peace, love, and eternal hope Jesus brings us? This Christmas why not unwrap the gift prepared for you over 2,000 years ago? Call out to God and receive Jesus.

Dear God,

I want peace. I want forgiveness. I want to know I matter to you and have purpose. I receive Jesus as the gifter of these things. Help me to trust and follow him.

Amen.