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
UNSTOPPABLE (October 01, 2021)
ALWAYS ON MY MIND (September 24, 2021)
REGIFTING GRACE (September 17, 2021)
THE ORIGIN OF FORGIVENESS (September 10, 2021)
THE HOPE OF CHANGE (September03, 2021)
UNFAILING LOVE (August 27, 2021)
SWEET SONG OF GRACE (August 20,2021)
AGAINST THE TIDE (August 13, 2021)
GRACE AND TRUTH (August 06, 2021)
WALKING WITH THE GRACIOUS (July 30, 2021)
GRACE AT RISK (July 23, 2021)
WHEN GRACE WINS (July 16, 2021)
FULL, RICH, AND FREE (July 09, 2021)
THE GRACE WE GIVE (July 02, 2021)
BETTER THAN WE REMEMBER (June 25, 2021)
THE POWER TO CHANGE (June 18, 2021)
GETTING IT RIGHT (June 11, 2021)
FINDING COMMUNITY (June 04, 2021)
NO OTHER GOSPEL (May 28, 2021)
PROOF OF LIFE (May 21, 2021)
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