We trade our gifts on Christmas Eve, or Christmas morn, or some convenient holiday. We wait to see a grateful smile, or wide-eyed wonder on a child’s face—all quietly aware our turn is next: the next gift will be handed us.
And though this pageant brings us joy, and warms our hearts, we dare not say it represents the gospel, even though it’s full of gifts. Our calculations typically are tuned to give of equal value. We won’t embarrass others with extravagance that they can’t match, nor do we like the debt we feel when we receive “too much.”
But heaven gave extravagantly when heaven gave us Jesus. He came with nothing in His hands but everything—all riches—in His heart. His greatest joy is in our joy—and in our inability to trade Him anything in return.
Grace is a gift we cannot earn, and don’t deserve, and can’t repay. We don’t make things “even” by obedience, or costly sums, or kindly deeds that lessen obligation. He who “owns the cattle on a thousand hills”—and all the hills—isn’t seeking reciprocity.
Accept the gift. Embrace the Child. Be overwhelmed with joy.
And stay in grace. -Bill Knott
THE SONG OF THE REDEEMED (January 19, 2024)
UNWEARIED LOVE (January 12, 2024)
A COVENANT FOR WANDERERS (January 05, 2024)
GRACE TO FORGET (December 29, 2023)
INFANT LOWLY (December 22, 2023)
THE NIGHT WILL BE LIGHT (December 15, 2023)
NEVER WAS A WAR (December 08, 2023)
WATCHING OVER US (December 01, 2023)
FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH (November 24, 2023)
ALL ARE GIFTED (November 17, 2023)
BEYOND BIOLOGY (November 10, 2023)
PEACE AMID THE CHAOS (November 03, 2023)
GRACE HAS A FACE (October 27, 2023)
UNEXPECTED (October 20, 2023)
SAYING WHAT’S TRUE (October 13, 2023)
BETTER THAN PLATINUM (Octotber 06, 2023)
THE ONLY HERO STORY (september 29, 2023)
ACCORDING TO OUR NEED (September 22, 2023)
GIFTED AND GRACED (September 15, 2023)
BETTER THAN WE DREAMED (September 08, 2023)
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