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
PROOF OF LIFE (May 21, 2021)
HELD BY GRACE (May 14, 2021)
WHAT CAN WASH AWAY MY SIN? (May 07, 2021)
FORGIVENESS ON A STRING (April 30, 2021)
THE GROWING SEASON (April 23, 2021)
THE CONFIDENCE OF GOD (April 16, 2021)
NO TRAVELING ALONE (April 09, 2021)
HAIL THE DAY (April 02, 2021)
UNBROKEN LOVE (March 26, 2021)
NOT FOR SALE (March 19, 2021)
THE HOUSE THAT GRACE BUILDS (March 12, 2021)
A NEW ECONOMY (March 05, 2021)
GETTING WHAT WE DON’T DESERVE (February 19, 2021)
MANNA IN OUR WILDERNESS (February12, 2021)
ASSUMED IDENTITY (February 05, 2021)
WHY GRACE MAKES US UNCOMFORTABLE (January 29, 2021)
REASSURING RHYTHMS (January 22. 2021)
RECLAIMING OUR IDENTITY (January 15, 2021)
LOVE THAT WON’T LET GO (January 08, 2021)
RENEWAL IN THE RUINS (January 01, 2021)
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