To Relish Him

And as I begin this morning nothing wants to come to mind for a title, but still, I write, and so often (as with so many other things) I figure whatever it is that needs to be said will be said. Strange but true.

But what do I feel the need to say? Not much really except, I want to find a way back to God. I’ve missed Him and I’ve especially missed writing about Him. Sort of a feeling of needing to dig my way out and back. Like, I’ve been buried under some giant pile of laundry (metaphorically speaking) and for some reason… it’s heavy. But somehow I need to. Somehow it seems that the only place I feel true peace, for me, is when I’m writing about God because it’s then that I’m actively seeking Him. I’m listening, “God, what do you have to say?” And this, this is what I’ve missed.

But this morning I pulled out some of my older writings, journalings, whatever you want to call them, and as I read through them what I seemed to notice most was… there was joy in my voice and the joy came from God, from pointing to Him, and I could hear it as I read, that old me. And you know what? I decided, “I want that back.”

Now, I know some of you as you read this might be thinking, “wow, she’s really fallen off the band wagon,” or maybe, “oh no. She’s a prodigal!” But, that’s not what I’m talking about at all here. What I’m talking about is finding and doing that one thing that seems to be, “what?” That one thing, and you know God’s given it to you for a specific reason that makes you, “what?” Could it be… inexplicably happy? Joyful? Even at peace? Could be. For me it’s writing, and more importantly, when I use that writing to point to God. Yeah, for some reason this makes me happy (and don’t ask me why this is, because as you can tell I’m no prodigy) but yeah, this, this brings me joy, and for some reason, this, this definitely brings me peace. And again, I think this has something to do with how when we use our gifts to point to God, it causes us to draw closer to Him, which is always a good thing.

So, “now what?” All I can say is, if God’s called you to do something, do it, and stop making excuses. You know, I’ve spent far too long searching for a voice I thought I’d lost. Or maybe… I preoccupied myself with other things because I didn’t know how to find it. Skipping quiet times with God because I was letting in too many distractions, when instead, I could just drop them at His feet and… relish Him. You know, that’s it exactly. That’s what I’ve forgotten, that’s what I’ve missed, and that’s what I want to get back to… to relish Him!  Again.

To keep working…

Can we see a bigger picture that only benefits others? A bigger picture with nothing in it for us, whatsoever? Can we be so selfless, expecting nothing in return? Can we do the things you call us to with no promise of something more, without asking or expecting, “what’s in it for me, Lord?” Can we go unnoticed, unthanked and unseen, and can we and will we keep on going? Working only for you, Lord, knowing only you see? Would that be enough to sustain us in this life, Lord; your approval only? And knowing this only by faith and faith alone, could we day in and day out continue to toil, turning heavy clay soil, in hopes that one day it might be ready? That one day might come the seed, and then the rain? That one day we might see the harvest or… will we? And if not, would we keep working? Would we keep plowing? Would we be able to keep our eyes on you and you alone? And would the knowledge of your beauty be enough to satisfy our insatiable appetites and keep our wayward souls?

Lord, strengthen the weak hands and feeble knees of your servants and all those who grow weary, and may your Holy Spirit renew us, causing us to see the need… to keep working.

Something

Sometimes how rainclouds start to form on a horizon and seeing them in the distance you know that, “rain’s a comin’,” sometimes that’s how it is when you start to feel the Holy Spirit move and your first inclination is to think, “He’s up to something.” You may not know what exactly, but for some reason He keeps impressing on your heart, what? “A thought, an impression, a feeling?” Something, and so the best place to always start out with “something” is just… to pray about it.

Rejoice, you people of Jerusalem! Rejoice in the Lord your God! For the rain he sends demonstrates his faithfulness. Once more the autumn rains will come, as well as the rains of spring. (Joel 2:23)

Unaware

“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels unaware.” Heb 13:2

And as of late this scripture keeps coming to mind, maybe because God keeps putting it there, I don’t know, but I woke this morning thinking of it. Perhaps too because I always do as the holidays approach. “Tis the Season!” and yet, I wonder, how many of us feeling the crunch of the economy this year will stop to ponder the true meaning of Christmas? Maybe no longer able to buy, buy, buy, or think, think, think, “what shall I get for so-n-so this year, they already have everything anyway,” instead we’ll stop to think of the gift God gave us that first Christmas morn; His one and only Son.

Yes, to us, the poor, the destitute, the uncomely and the the unseen. God’s Word says, “our righteousness compared to His is as filthy rags,” and truly, that must be what we look like compared to Him. Yet God, in all of His beauty can see what we don’t see; us, when clothed in His Righteousness, what we can be.

When you really think about it, what a beautifully redemptive story. His Son; a ransom to replace our filthy rags. “Here,” He says as he drapes us in the finest of white raiment. “Let me place a crown of righteousness upon your head, and the best sandals upon your feet,” but first, only after He has washed them. “Now, come,” He says, “I have prepared a feast and you are to dine with Me!”

In Him, there is everything we could ever need. Everything. No shortage of supply, for God is not debt-ridden. His house is full of the finest things and the only things that can truly fill and satisfy our earthly hearts. Yes, if only we could see… how He sees. How God has the power to transform that which we might completely disregard as worthless or ugly. How the rock we toss away as only ordinary, He then picks up and polishes into a diamond.

“For some have entertained angels unaware,” and every Christmas season God brings this verse to mind. “Why?” you ask. Because one Christmas season there was a story behind it I’d like to share.

I think it was nearly fifteen years ago now, at least. We had gathered in a church basement in a small town in Oregon, a distant relative the pastor, and every Christmas day the congregation would put on a Christmas day feast. Everyone eating, conversing, children playing, including mine. Nothing out of the ordinary, that is, until a man walked in. Not just any man mind you, but to be honest, probably one of the filthiest, dirtiest men I think I have ever seen in all my life.

There we were, all of us in our Christmas Best and He? Rags and dirt and filth. I kid you not, His skin almost blackened as if He had just crawled out of a ditch somewhere or a coal mine, though, of any coal mines in Oregon I do not know. But it was surreal, startling to see such a contrast, and I will never forget it. Why? Because of how we all reacted, including myself; not one of us spoke to Him. He walked in on all of our merryment and yet, we, perhaps so out of tune with who God really is, did not know what do with Him. Just to out of the blue, too out of place.

Quietly the man made his way over to the kitchen where they prepared a plate for Him and then? He came and sat down but just a few feet away from me. The same table, the pastor sitting directly across from me. Still, no one spoke to Him. I kept thinking, “well, maybe the pastor will speak up.” But no, and yet, neither did I. The man, quietly eating when all of a sudden he looked up and for a brief moment I saw His eyes and they were striking. Probably the bluest eyes I think I have ever seen set against the filthiest skin. Even my daughter, being all of three at the time, as children do, “mommy, why is that man so dirty?” “Shh,” I tried to quiet her, sitting there, waiting, for someone, anyone, at least “Merry Christmas Sir! Is there anything else we can do for you?” I will never forget this experience. The man must have been there all of 10-15 minutes, yet still, no one spoke to Him and when He had finished eating, He simply got up, and left.

I remember watching Him as He left. Up the basement steps He went and then seeing through the tiny basement windows nothing more than His filthy boots as He trudged along the sidewalk, and then? He was gone. And to this day I remember the feeling that came over me then, and it was this, “I had failed,” and I knew that I had. I had waited for “someone else” but God, was waiting for me.

To do this day, as I recall the whole experience, I think, “funny, how the dirtiest, filthiest man I think I have ever seen in all my life, literally sitting but just a few feet away from me, did not even smell.” Yes, for some have entertained angels unaware.

This Holiday Season, may we all take full opportunity to not only be “Merry Christmas Wishers,” but also to be ,”Merry Christmas Do-gooders!” in reaching out to those less fortunate then ourselves.

Happy Holidays and God’s best!

A Bookstore, a Book, and Silver Crosses

So last week I went and stopped by our local Christian bookstore, not because I myself was necessarily looking for anything but mostly because, for the past month, my daughter has been wanting to find a cross necklace; “silver, not too big, and must be plain.” Obviously her tastes and mine are nothing alike because I’ve seen lots of cute silver cross necklaces that I would have been more than happy to hang around my neck while perusing through department stores. Personally I like filagree, dainty, and must be pretty. Ya, definitely not the same. But anyway, once again we’re on “the mission” and so “let’s look at the Christian bookstore,” she suggests. “Maybe they’ll have something.”

Sometimes when I go to the Christian bookstore I get overwhelmed. So many books, opinions, bibles, and stuff. Stuff to hang on our walls, or prop up on a nightstand, or… even hang around our necks. Sometimes it almost bothers me for some reason and I’m not really sure why. Maybe it reminds me too much of the world’s materialism. Like I said, I don’t know, it’s just a feeling I get when I enter through those pearly gates, oops, I mean pearly doors, and then aimlessly start to wander around. Maybe it’s a feeling like, “does anyone really need all this stuff?” And then I have to remind myself, “yes, there are times in all our lives that yes, we do.” We need the book that points us to God, or a message on a plaque to hang by our front door, or a cd and a song to remind us of… “remind us of what?” Of God, because the flesh all too easily can and will forget Him. Just read the story of Exodus and you’ll see what I mean.

But anyway, I quickly pass by the crosses, nothing that catches my eye or (trying to think like my daughter now) nothing that I think would appeal to her either. She’s then there by my side and points to one that’s silver, not too big, and yes, very very plain, “what about that one?” she says. I feign half enthusiastically, “it’s alright,” I shrug. Boy, that was a big mistake and I quickly try to patch it up with “I’m sorry. It’s just… not my style. But… it would look great on you.” Cheezy smile. Oh well. She’s moves on to look at other things and again I notice the plethora (isn’t that a cool word?) of stuff stuffed into this what seems, too tiny of a space.

I look around and I don’t even now where to begin, quickly reminding myself the whole reason for the visit was to find a cross for my daughter so, I don’t really need anything anyway. That is until a book down on a lower shelf for some reason grabs my attention. I pick it up, examining the cover and then it dawns on me, “OMG, I remember Michael English! I used to have his cd back in 19….” Well, never mind the year and for those of you who may not remember Michael English he was and still is a Christian Music Artist and apparently now too an author; the title of his book, “The Prodigal Comes Home.” I turn the book over, scanning the back cover and then for some reason, “I need to read this,” I tell myself and I pay the cashier.

Have I ever mentioned how much I love stories with happy endings? I do. I love stories about redemption and stories about how frogs turn into princes and about how the boy gets the girl, well, you get my drift, and I especially love stories about how God never gives up on us, no matter how far we may stray. If you like stories likes these too then Michael’s new book, “The Prodigal Comes Home” is the book for you because literally, his story has every element in it that I just listed above. His book made me cry and at the same realize how frail we are as human beings. How easy, even when someone appears to be at the top of their game it is to fall and how far a fall it is.

Anyway, all I can say is how glad I am that God brought this man through all that He did. Not only because his story had a happy ending but mostly because of how God is now using his story to point to Him. Michael English… God bless you!

Still looking for silver crosses even though I’ve already found the silver lining in every cloud.

“Playing House”

There are rare moments in life when perhaps we get to catch a glimpse of something special, something we may not always get to see, and when it happens it is, for lack of a better word, astounding.

And this is what happened to me today while sitting at the entrance to the ladies fitting room of an upscale department store. My daughter trying on dresses, and as I sat there wondering why the old brown leather couch I sat upon was even there in the first place (as if I had just entered “The Matrix”), I couldn’t help but overhear, notice, and perhaps even appreciate the cutest couple I think I have ever seen.

She was looking for something new to wear, and he? he was helping her. Yes, believe it or not; helping her. Giving his opinion, fetching her a different color, size, or even something that might make her “look younger” as I did over hear him say concerning one of the outfits she had picked out (as they were both in the dressing room together) that, “that one just looks too old lady like.” In which I couldn’t help but chuckle.

You see, nevermind that she and he must have at least been nearly 80, yes 80! And yet, still both of them talking to one another so politely, so sweetly, that I don’t think in all my life have I ever heard anything so endearing (except maybe in sappy love stories).

He exits her dressing room, I smile. He goes to fetch her another dress and when he returns he stops, “You know, we’ve been married for 49 years,” he says, “and we’ve been doing this ever since; we always go shopping together.” And I smile back because obviously this couple has something that most people never have. “Oh, that’s great,” I say and then I blurt out, “I’ve actually just been sitting here enjoying listening to your conversation. It’s so sweet the way you talk to one another.” And then he says, “well, it’s always been like that. It’s always felt like we’ve just been “playing house” and I love it!” and it’s obvious he’s happy and he means it. “I really do; I love to go shopping with her and help her pick things out.” And at this… I think I’m speechless. Have I or have I not just encountered every woman’s idea of the perfect helpmate? “Playing house.” Ya, Nicholas Sparks, eat your heart out!

Anyway, moral of the story; when entering “The Matrix” you can learn a lot about a person’s personality just by the way they still treat their spouse… even at the age of 80. Amazing!

P.S. My daughter and I think they used to be Missionaries. Hmmmm.

Problems at Corinth

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1st Corinthians 13: 1-13)

One of my favorite passages of the Bible; 1st Corinthians 13 and yet I got to thinking about it quite seriously a couple of days ago, inquiring of God, “God, why did Paul feel the need to write about it in the first place? God, what was really going on at Corinth anyway?” Apparently something, something was going on at Corinth, something that prompted Paul to write a letter and pen this infamous “Love” chapter, and Paul wrote this specifically to the Christians at Corinth, but why? Could it be it was because they had forgotten what kind of love God had called them to have in the first place? A love that, “does not envy, that does not boast?” The kind of love that Christ had, “that it is not self-seeking, that it is not easily angered?” Yes, the kind of love that Christ had.

And I think on that a lot; the kind of love that Christ had. The kind of love the apostles had. The kind of love that martyrs have. A love that stands in the face of persecution, that doesn’t feel the need to defend itself. A love that says, “here take my cloak also.” The kind of love that prays for one’s enemy’s, that is self sacrificing. The kind of love that’s willing to die even, even as Christ died on a cross though He was innocent and not guilty. The kind of love that cried out, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do!” The kind of love that Paul saw in the eyes of Stephen as they stoned him to death, who said nothing but only looked to heaven. The kind of love that keeps no record of wrongs, but continues steadfast, always hoping, always praying even for those who persecute God’s Children. It is this kind of love that can only come from God and humanly is impossible but time and time again through the history of the Church has been found evident in the hearts of men and women who have given their all to God, allowing His Spirit to be poured through them and His love to be found as evidence that He does indeed live within them. This is the kind of love that Paul is writing about here and this is the kind of love that truly does and can only come from God. And so… what was the problem/problems of the Corinthians?

Obviously Corinth was having problems, not only falling short in their lack of Love but also in so many other areas concerning their walks with God and though they believed they were still within His good graces, Paul was writing them to tell them otherwise. Corinth, though it started off on the right foot was quickly headed in the wrong direction, and instead of being salt and light to the world around them, instead they were allowing the world’s ideas to infiltrate them, corrupting the Church to the point that one could no longer tell the difference.

Paul was writing them to remind them in the whole book of 1st Corinthians, “don’t you remember how it was when you first began? When you first believed? How you loved the Lord your God and put Him first in everything? But then… you started to listen to the wisdom of men and now? now you have hardened your hearts, no longer holding fast to what was first preached.” And the love that Paul speaks of in 1st Corinthians 13, the love that should be found in the heart of every Believer is no longer found at the church of Corinth.

And this, this is what I’ve been thinking on a lot lately; how easy, how easy it would be for any of us to fall into many of the same sins as the Corinthians, praying, “oh God, don’t ever let us get like the church of Corinth! Don’t ever let us stray that far from you! Don’t ever let us lose our salt and flavor, or harden our hearts that your love can not even dwell there anymore! Oh, Lord, don’t ever let us stray that far.” And it is and this must be a prayer of ours because I do believe it can be so easy, so easy for any of us to fall away, so easy to grow complacent, more concerned with being “pleasers of men” then “pleasers of God” forgetting our first love, and so our prayer must be, “oh God, never let me! Never let me!”

These last few days I have been reading a study on the book of 1st Corinthians and I would love for you to join me. It’s called The Corinthian Crises and I have found it to be incredibly insightful into why Paul wrote 1st Corinthians in the first place.

As we near Valentine’s Day may you find your heart reflecting His love more and more and may you experience all of His blessings, praying always even as David did:

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24)

“Check!”

And as I look at the title now I suppose it could convey a number of different things really, but for this post I’m thinking about flying. Yes, flying, and I actually have a fear of flying (don’t ask me why) but I think I’m getting better about it. I figure if I’m going to go and be it in a plane, then I’m going to go no matter what so when it comes to flying I’ll just close my eyes (through the take off’s and landings) and let God do the rest. So ya, for this post it’s flying that I’m thinking of when I think of “check!”

You see, growing up my Dad was a pilot, not a commercial pilot but a private pilot. He had a private plane and so instead of taking road trips we would all jump into the airplane and fly to wherever it was we were going. Ya, you’d think with all of my experience that I would love to fly or at least not mind it, but no, I still, to this day dislike it.

I remember all the preparation that had to take place before we could take off: walk around the plane, inspect the flaps, rudder, wheels, turn the prop. If that all looked good then “jump inside!”

My brother and I were always in the backseat. We’d have our headsets on (with a mic) and so ya, I guess compared to driving it was pretty cool, plus, as we all know with flying you can cover a lot more distance in a lot less time.

But anyway, my Dad would turn some knobs, pull some levers, and I think there was an ignition key but now I don’t really remember, but before I knew it he would have the plane up and running and planes, or at least small ones buzz. It’s the propeller, and it feels like, oh I don’t know, like those little wooden planes that you wind up, the ones with the rubber band? and before you know it you’re about to be slingshoted.

But my Dad checks some more buttons, levers, the gauges across his instrument panel and if that all looks good we then taxi out to the runway, his communication with the tower occasionally breaking the eight track tape that’s currently playing over our headsets, (and ya, this is the 70′s so, we were probably listening to something my mom picked out like Olivia Newton John or Helen Reddy? I think it was Helen Reddy). Ya, music to fly by; “must be soothing.” But anyway, we taxi out to the runway, and before taking off we pause, because it’s here we always pause, and then my Dad pulls out “the list.” The “check” list and every time he does this, every time before we fly.

Down the list he reads. “Flaps?” he asks and then he turns the appropriate handle to make sure that it’s working and if so we then hear him call out “check!” Next on the list, “Rudder?” he asks and again he checks to see if it’s working and if so, again we hear over our headsets, “check!” Continuing on down the list until lastly he turns to look at all of us, “seatbelts?” he asks and everyone nods, “check!” Only until everything clears his list, the “check list” does he then proceed onto the runway, the engine running full force, the sound deafening and speeding forward, the propeller whirling, we take off. Yes, we’re airborn, yes, we’re flying!

I write this because I was thinking about this just this morning. Thinking about how everyday I need to have the same kind of spiritual check list before heading out into my day. Asking God to form in me His character and His ways of thinking. Asking Him to weed out of me anything that to Him is displeasing and most importantly, surrendering all that I am to Him that I would do nothing in my own strength.

So often God reminds me of this; that it has to be a daily thing. That daily we have to form our own spiritual check list because then and only then will we be able to fly with Him on the wings of His Holy Spirit!

CHECK THIS OUT!
To see what God is doing through men and women who want nothing more than to fly with Him! And while you’re there don’t forget to sign “The Guestbook” because on God’s plane there are always enough tickets!

Nothing But a Blip!

“A blip!” Your watching a radar screen and then you see it but only for a second and then it’s gone; “a blip!” Now imagine if you will that blip is what your life here on earth is like; “nothing but a blip” that lasts for no more than a second. But the radar screen what does it represent? Eternity.

Your life here on earth in comparison to where you will live out eternity is this; nothing but a blip. Watch it; a blip is pretty short lived isn’t it? No wonder Paul could say with all assurity even in the midst of suffering:

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

Do you like Paul have an eternal mentality? Are you looking at your life here on earth as but a moment in comparison to where you will spend your days eternally? The prophet Isaiah said:

“All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, because the breath of the LORD blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:6-8)

Are not our very lives but as a flower or the grass of the fields? Here today yet gone tomorrow? Nothing but a “blip! on a radar screen? But… how we live it, yes, how we live it will determine everything.

We must have the mindset of Paul; eternal thinking. But for our light affliction. Are you suffering? Are you struggling? But for our light affliction. Your life here is only temporary. You are only sorjourning to a final destination. Yes, how you live it will determine everything.

For you have been born again. Your new life did not come from your earthly parents because the life they gave you will end in death. But this new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. (1 Peter 1:23)

If you have received Christ as your personal Savior, if you have been born again, then your new life has already begun.

Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:2-3)

Yes, eternal thinking; “our life on earth is nothing but a blip!” Why then should we worry about it? Why then should we live only to please it; our flesh? It is nothing but a blip. Rather, should we not live our lives to glorify our Father in heaven? Run the race as if to win it? Pass every test our enemy, Satan throws at us? Then great will your reward be in Heaven (Luke 6:20-23). For then we will get to spend all of eternity with the only one who truly completes us; Jesus. Yes, Jesus.

All honor to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for it is by his boundless mercy that God has given us the privilege of being born again. Now we live with a wonderful expectation because Jesus Christ rose again from the dead. For God has reserved a priceless inheritance for his children. It is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And God, in his mighty power, will protect you until you receive this salvation, because you are trusting him. It will be revealed on the last day for all to see. So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead , even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while.

These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold – and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day that Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him, you trust him; and even now you are happy with a glorious, inexpressible joy. Your reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1: 3-9)

“A blip! Nothing but a blip!” So pass the test and run to win!

“Good Grief!”

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about Charlie Brown. I don’t know why. For one, maybe because it’s Christmas time, that, and it’s A Charlie Brown Christmas was one of my all time favorite holiday specials. One wonders though with the current state of things now, “do they still allow this to be shown on tv?” Afterall, the words “Merry Christmas, the nativity, and unto you a Savior is born!” are all mentioned during its airing.

Yes, what does Charlie Brown represent to me during this holiday season? And I think Linus says it best; Jesus is the true meaning of Christmas! Yes, Jesus. “For unto you a Savior is born!” A Savior. And I do just want to say that again, “a Savior.”

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17)

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. (Titus 2:11-14)

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

A gift. And that’s exactly what Christmas is; a gift. That Christ came and died for us, in our place that we might live. “A Savior,” who if we call upon will reconcile us to God, transforming our sinful nature into His glorious righteousness. A gift, and to the world God has extended it. To every man, to every woman; this present. The question is; will you accept it? “Good grief!” it’s Christmas.