Gift Love
Making It Personal
You are not alone if you are still wondering whether to open your heart to the offer of God’s gift of salvation. Many think the offer is too good to be true. Many more are afraid they’ll be obligated to somehow repay God for His gift.
Yet the decision to receive the gift of salvation is yours. The apostle John wrote, “He came to His own people, and even they rejected Him. But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:11-12).
If you are ready to receive the greatest of all gifts, the openness of your heart is what God is looking for. You might want to use your own words, or express a prayer like this:
D ear God, I have sinned against You. I believe that Jesus is Your Son, that He died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins, and that He rose from the dead to prove it. Now I accept Your offer of full forgiveness and eternal life. I accept Jesus as Your gift for my salvation.
If this is the honest expression of your heart, you have entered into a personal relationship with God!
We encourage you to start attending a church and to let a pastor know of your decision.
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Day 1
It’s Part of the Gift
Today’s Bible Reading John 1:1-14
Ayoung girl in Africa gave her teacher a Christmas gift. It was a beautiful seashell. “Where did you get this?” she asked. The child told her that such shells are found only on a certain faraway beach.
So the Word became human and made His home among us.
John 1:14
The teacher was deeply touched, because she knew that the girl had walked many miles to find the shell. “You shouldn’t have traveled so far just to find a gift for me,” she said. The girl smiled and replied, “The long walk is part of the gift.”
This girl, wise beyond her years, probably didn’t know that she was conveying a truth about Jesus Christ. He gives the wonderful gift of eternal life to all who believe in Him. It’s a treasure that carries with it forgiveness of all our sins and God’s never-failing love.
Christ’s gift also began with a journey. He left the splendors of heaven to come to our sin-drenched earth. He took upon Himself our humanity (John 1:14) and walked the long road to the cross. There He bore our sin and all its penalty. And when I say to Him in gratitude, “It’s too much, Jesus. You shouldn’t have done it,” I can picture Him looking at me with love-filled eyes and saying tenderly, “The journey is part of the gift.”
Dave Egner
Bethlehem’s stable was the first step in God’s journey of love to the cross.
2
Our Very Best Day
Today’s Bible Reading Ephesians 2:4-10
Chilean poet Pablo Neruda was a lonely and unhappy child, with no siblings or friends. One day he was investigating the backyard of his home and discovered a hole in the fence surrounding the yard. Suddenly a small hand reached out toward him from the other side of the fence. Then just as suddenly the hand was gone. On the ground was a small toy sheep.
God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
ePhesians 2:8
Pablo ran inside the house and brought back the best thing he had—a pinecone. He set it down in the same spot and ran off with the sheep. That toy lamb became his most cherished possession.
The exchange brought home to him a profound yet simple fact: To know that you are cared for by someone is one of life’s greatest gifts. “This small and mysterious exchange of gifts remained inside of me,” he said, “deep and indestructible.”
Reading this story made me think of God’s gift to you and me—His hand reaching out to us with His love that sent His Son Jesus to die for our sins. Salvation is the “deep and indestructible” gift of God, received by grace through faith.
What should our response be to our God’s infinite love and grace? Let’s give Him in return our very best—our heart. —David Roper
No gift is more needed by a dying world than a living Savior.
The Greatest Day 3
Today’s Bible Reading John 3:16-21
Someone sent me an excellent outline of John 3:16, a verse that is often referred to as “God’s miniature Bible.” Here it is:
For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
God—the greatest lover loved so much—the greatest degree the world—the greatest company that He gave—the greatest act His one and only Son—the greatest gift that everyone who believes—the greatest simplicity in Him—the greatest person will not perish—the greatest promise but—the greatest difference have—the greatest certainty eternal life—the greatest possession I heard about a young girl whose mother was reading to her the third chapter of the gospel of John. Pausing after verse 16, the mother exclaimed, “Don’t you think that verse is amazing, dear?” The child thought and then said, “No.” The mother thought the youngster must have misunderstood, so she repeated the question. But again the girl shook her head, saying, “No. It would be amazing if it were anyone else, Mother. But it’s really just like God!” Indeed, the child with her simple faith had understood that the great gift of salvation could naturally be expected from a great God. With reverent adoration, let us recognize that God, His love, and His eternal gift are naturally “the greatest.” —Henry Bosch
The best gift was found in a manger.
Good News for All Day 4
Today’s Bible Reading Luke 2:1-10
The angel who announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds said that he came to them with “good news that will bring great joy” (Luke 2:10).
Don’t be afraid! . . . I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.
LUke 2:10
Many people today hear these words about “great joy” but don’t understand them. They relish the season as they decorate their homes, shop in cheerful malls, attend festive parties, and exchange gifts with the ones they love. But after all the excitement subsides, they feel empty and joyless.
Others don’t like the season at all. Many have no money for gifts or decorations. Some have no friends with whom to celebrate. The atmosphere of cheer around them actually deepens their feelings of sadness.
The problem with both groups is that they wrongly identify the “great joy” of which the angel spoke. It is found not in the superficial fun but in the deeper meaning of the season. When Jesus was born, God became a man so that He could save us from our sins and give us the joyful prospect of eternity in heaven. That’s the true reason for joy. The shepherds went back to the cold nights and loneliness of their vocation, but they were “glorifying and praising God” (Luke 2:20).
The real meaning of Christmas is indeed “good news that will bring great joy to all people” (v.10).
Herbert Vander Lugt
Jesus puts the joy into Christmas.
5
A Baby Boy Day
Today’s Bible Reading Luke 2:8-14
The full-page advertisement in the newspaper caught my eye immediately. Near the top of the light-blue page was the silhouette of a star. In the center of the page were the words: It’s a boy.
[Mary] gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped Him snugly in strips of cloth and laid Him in a manger.
LUke 2:7
Luke 2:11 was printed across the bottom of the page: “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord” (niv).
This simple message—it’s a boy—proclaimed the indescribable gift of a Savior who came to earth as a baby. Why did He do it?
We needed God to send Jesus. Because of our sin, we were separated from a holy God. A perfect Savior and mediator was needed to bring us back together. Only God could restore the relationship.
God wanted to send Jesus. He loved us so much that He gave His Son so that our relationship could be restored. Jesus was the only One who could meet His demand for a perfect sacrifice—only He was sinless. He willingly gave Himself on the cross. God accepted that sacrifice and raised Him from the dead.
Because of our need and His love, God the Father gave us the gift of Jesus the Son. Accept His gift today—it’s free. —Anne Cetas
The birth of Christ brought God to man; the cross of Christ brings man to God.
Day 6
Today’s Bible Reading Matthew 1:18-25
The Christmas story, recorded in the gospels of Matthew and Luke, has become so familiar that I wonder if we grasp the reality of what actually happened: An angel told a young virgin that she would conceive a child by the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:26-38). The angel then told her fiancé to marry her and name the baby Jesus, “for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Shepherds saw angels in the sky and were told of a Savior’s birth in Bethlehem (Luke 2:11). Wise men traveled hundreds of miles to worship the One who, they said, “has been born King of the Jews” (Matthew 2:2 nkjv). Amazing!
And she will have a Son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.
Matthew 1:21
Equally astonishing is that Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the wise men did exactly as they had been told. Mary yielded herself to God; Joseph took her home as his wife; the shepherds went to Bethlehem to find the baby in a manger; and the wise men followed the star. With no idea of the outcome, they all took the next step by faith in the Lord. Amazing!
How is it with us this Christmas? Will we trust God and follow His leading even when we face uncertainty and overwhelming circumstances?
When you and I obey the Lord, the outcome is truly amazing! —David
McCasland
To make something of your life, give your life to God.