The Greatest Gift

 One day I was Christmas shopping in Wal-Mart by myself and for some reason I stopped in the jewelry section to browse. Now you must understand that I’m not big on jewelry, my favorite place to browse is the electronics section. If I wear anything other than a watch, than it is a special night. My eye caught the necklaces with the crosses and I started to think about how I would like to have one. I was thankful for what the Lord had done in my life and I wanted to have that outward display of who I belong to.

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:26 (NKJV) 

So, I put it in the back of my mind as something I would purchase at a later date  and kept shopping. I didn’t tell anyone of my desire to have a necklace with a cross on it. In my family we make a list of things we would like to have for Christmas. This  gives everyone ideas for gifts and we don’t end up with a bunch of stuff we don’t need or we’ll never use. We stick to those lists. On Christmas Eve, I was at my parents house and we were getting ready to go to the Christmas Eve service at my church and my mother came to me and said, ‘I have a gift I want you to open before you go to the service’. I opened it and it was a gold necklace with a cross on it! The memory of that time in Wal-Mart when I was in the jewelry section flooded my mind and I knew that God was with me there and he knew my thoughts. Emotion began to well up in me because I knew that the Almighty Creator of the Universe knew My Name.

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you…”  Jeremiah 1:5

Little old me standing in Wal-Mart and he was with me listening to my hearts desire. Then the Lord began to teach me about the significance of that gift. You see that necklace means so much to me because I know what it represents to me in the remembrance of that moment. I cherish that necklace, so much so that I rarely take it off. You see, if I had bought that necklace, it wouldn’t have meant as much to me because it was something that I obtained in my own power. I didn’t deserve that necklace and I didn’t earn it. It was given to me as a gift.  Salvation is a gift.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

We can’t earn it, we don’t deserve it, but because of the love and compassion that God has for us, Jesus died for our sins so that we may have eternal life.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

That is so precious! In this season, just take a few moments to remember what Jesus has done for you. He has given you the greatest gift of all! Eternal Life! If he gives me nothing else, that is enough!

If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and would like to receive the free gift of salvation you can pray the following prayer.

Father God, I confess that I’m a sinner and that there is nothing I can do to earn your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus is the Christ, son of the living God, my Lord, and my Savior. I believe that by His shed blood on the cross, that Jesus died for my sins, was resurrected and ascended to the right hand of God’s throne. Jesus, I ask that you come into my heart, forgive me of my sins and cleanse me of all unrighteousness. I ask for this and thank you for it in Jesus name. Amen

JP