Christmas to me is about receiving, then giving. Its always been my favorite time of the year. As a child I loved getting presents, seeing what new toys I could play with, what new clothes I could wear. And as I got older I started to find more joy in giving presents. When I got my first job, I used all my pay checks during the winter time on gifts for every single person in my family, and my friends. I found more joy in giving gifts than receiving them.
When I have kids I hope to make Christmas the best for them, I hope I can spoil them this one time of the year, and then teach them that once they recieve, it would then come time for them to give, and they should do it with great joy. I don't think Christian families should limit their kids from this wonderful experience.
I'm so happy that giving gifts is a major part of the Christmas tradition, and I never really thought about it until recently. But when we remember the main reason for the season, the birth of Jesus Christ, the whole journey is overwhelmingly filled with receiving and then giving.
It all starts with God GIVING a prophecy many years before.
Then, in His perfect timing God GAVE the earth the greatest gift of all, He fulfilled that prophecy and GAVE us His Son, He GAVE us Himself, and He sacrificed everything to GIVE us eternal life.
When God GAVE Mary the news of her awaited baby, she RECEIVED it, and she GAVE back to God, by being the perfect mother, and raising the king of kings.
When Joseph RECEIVED the big news, he sacrificed his image before people, and GAVE back by humbly standing by Marys side through the journey.
When the world RECEIVED news of Christs birth, not everyone took it with joy, and some, GAVE back only greif and pain.
But others RECEIVED the news with hope, and praise, and the shepereds and wise men, literally got to GIVE to their Savior. What an honorable moment that must of been.
When Jesus grew up, He GAVE His whole life to the peope. He healed them, taught them, helped them, and He sacrificed it all for them. He died for them, He died for us, people who weren't even alive yet, so that we may RECEIVE His love for eternity.
GOD gave us everything and He waits for us to RECEIVE it. Because once we RECEIVE His love, our only desire becomes to GIVE it back. We should share that gift with everyone around us and GIVE the gift of hope and salvation. We should GIVE back to God by GIVING to others. We should help those in need, and GIVE the world the image of Christ.
When we GIVE, those who RECEIVE will then GIVE as well, and we shall spread the joy of giving to the ends of the earth.
So as we open gifts tonight, let us RECIEVE them with this on our minds.
God GAVE so that we could RECEIVE and then GIVE as well. May this be an on going chain reaction, until everyone has had the opportunity to experience the joy and excitement of receiving, then giving. May this not only happen on Christmas, but throughout the rest of our lives.
Thanks for reading and
Have a very merry Christmas!
Love, Vika Kayrevich