A Priceless Gift

Wow! Christmas has come and gone, and people are gearing up for New Year's eve bashes and celebrations. Some have begun to set goals and write resolutions, but most thoughts of the priceless gift of the Messiah's birth, life and death are drifting in holiday returns, leftover dishes, and hours back in the work place. Jesus' birth is the greatest gift mankind has ever received, yet many people overlook what great price this gift cost. Imagine our sovereign and holy God had to release His only Son to be born to a world that was filled with hatred, evil, selfishness, and ingratitude so that we would have a chance to repent, be forgiven , and live a life that pleases our Father. Can you visualize the pain and agony our heavenly Father experienced as His darling Son, Jesus left heaven's holiness, love, safety, and glory to become tortured, ridiculed, and murdered by mankind. What parent would turn over one child's life so that the other children might choose to do the right thing and live?

It is a remarkable demonstration of love. God so loved a sinful and dying world that He would sacrifice Heaven's best so that we could choose to love and honor Him. God sure took a leap of faith in humanity. Since Jesus accepted our Father's task to die that we may live, what can we the other children offer in return? There is nothing we could buy, create, or give to pay the price for our blessed Savior. It would seem impossible for a mere human to match a holy God in giving. But God still has faith in you and me. He still takes leaps of faith in our favor.

Romans 12:1 says, I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. God has been merciful, loving, and given much grace for us. In return our Lord expects us to make sacrifices for Him. We must choose to use our bodies for God's honor and glory. That means we must watch how we use our tongues, hands, and where we allow our feet to travel so that we present ourselves as holy gifts that God can accept. The Bible tells us that God sees this as our reasonable service.

The devil tries to make us believe that it is hard to serve God or that the world just has to much fun to offer that we cannot possibly give it up. But God's priceless sacrifice requires us to give up our own worldly, fleshly desires and to long for a faithful and righteous life that pleases Jesus. In the upcoming days, you will be given many opportunities to present your body either to the world or unto God. Choose carefully because this may be your last chance to make a reasonable decision!!! Hint: Go with God, He won't fail you. The world will leave you tired, empty, spent, hurt, or maybe even dead. But in Christ is eternal life!!!

Be Blessed!