Best Gift Ever
“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.” John 3:16
I was confident it was the best gift ever. A writing pen, hand carved from olive wood. This was the kind of present to make a person misty eyed and speechless, and I was giving it to my husband for Christmas. And for this treasured token of my love, I received in return a very polite, “Oh, that’s nice. Thank you.”
This was not how I imagined it going. Gifts are my love language. When I give one, it’s an expression of my love. His response offended me, and I got mad at him for not feeling what I thought he should.
Then I was reminded of another gift that often doesn’t receive the response it should.
Mine wasn’t the best gift ever. That has already been given. Have I received it with a very polite “that’s nice, thank you” before tucking it into a drawer to be forgotten? Lord help me if I have.
God sent His only Son to rescue us from the penalty of our sins—death and eternal separation from God. The lifeblood of Jesus is the only gift that covers my transgressions, washes away my sin, and makes me clean. Nothing else can make me worthy of standing in the presence of our holy and righteous God for eternity.
The price He paid was steep. It took every drop of our Savior’s blood shed for me on that cross at Calvary. How much love must have gone into the giving of that gift!
His death for my life certainly isn’t something to offer a polite thank-you for.
What a blessing that God doesn’t get mad when we don’t accept His grace with the proper response. He just keeps offering.
Redemption’s here. It’s available. It’s free to those who trust in Jesus for salvation.
It is the best gift ever.
Lori Altebaumer writes from her home in Texas. She loves sharing the joys of living a Christ-centered life with others through her writing. Now that her nest is empty, Lori enjoys spending more time volunteering with the Called to Change prison ministry, as well as exploring God’s creation traveling with her husband. While she works to complete her fiction novel, Lori blogs regularly from her website at www.lorialtebaumer.com, and can also be reached on her Facebook page @lorialtebaumerwrites.
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