Gifts
Today found me very not in the Christmas spirit.
Usually, I'm a last minute shopper. There's two reasons for this. First, I usually forget I have shopping to do until a few days before (don't ask me how, I don't know why I can remember random stuff like how many tablespoons equal a cup* but I forget all about getting presents for Christmas). Second, I spend a long time actually picking out what to give someone.
Needless to say, this combination means I'm usually grabbing gifts two days before Christmas.
This year, though, I finished my shopping a week ago Monday. I went to the mall yesterday, but it was just to hang out with a friend (and there was one more thing I was thinking about getting for my mom). All I had to do was wait for the rest of the presents to arrive in the mail...
Until today.
All of my gifts came by Monday except one. I wasn't too worried, because that one said it'd be delivered by today. Sure, it'd be a bit of an inconvienience, seeing as I'd have to rush wrap it tonight, but not a big deal...
Except for it didn't come.
Puzzled, I went to track it online, and see what happened...
Due to being damaged, it won't be delivered.
I have to reorder it.
And it was found to be damaged yesterday around 2 pm, and yet I hadn't received a single email about it.
Needless to say, I wasn't happy.
For a few minutes, I was in downright Grinch mode. How dare they not deliver my parcel? How dare they not email me so I could try to run out and get it while I still had time? They ruined Christmas!!!
Then I realized...why am I so upset? So what if it gets here in January instead? Because Christmas isn't about this...
It's about this...
We get so stressed this time of year, so worked up over whether our presents arrive, all the traffic we have to battle, that "idiot" who messed up our macchiato when we're already running late because we overslept after the Christmas party... But really, none of that stuff is what Christmas is truly about.
It's about a Baby.
It's about God taking on a mantle of flesh so He could lift us up out of our miry pools of sin.
It's about a King giving up a throne in order to invite us into His Kingdom.
It's about an all-powerful Master wrapping Himself in the weak body of a servant so He could break our chains.
These little gifts we pass around to each other are nice, but are nothing in light of that. They'll fade away some day.
But this Gift is Eternal. He is the Beginning and the End.
I'll be reordering the present, and it won't be coming in time for Christmas. I'll be giving it another day.
But God's Precious Gift is always available. Jesus offers salvation, peace, and joy any time. There's no need to wait for it.
*16, if you were wondering.
Usually, I'm a last minute shopper. There's two reasons for this. First, I usually forget I have shopping to do until a few days before (don't ask me how, I don't know why I can remember random stuff like how many tablespoons equal a cup* but I forget all about getting presents for Christmas). Second, I spend a long time actually picking out what to give someone.
Needless to say, this combination means I'm usually grabbing gifts two days before Christmas.
This year, though, I finished my shopping a week ago Monday. I went to the mall yesterday, but it was just to hang out with a friend (and there was one more thing I was thinking about getting for my mom). All I had to do was wait for the rest of the presents to arrive in the mail...
Until today.
All of my gifts came by Monday except one. I wasn't too worried, because that one said it'd be delivered by today. Sure, it'd be a bit of an inconvienience, seeing as I'd have to rush wrap it tonight, but not a big deal...
Except for it didn't come.
Puzzled, I went to track it online, and see what happened...
Due to being damaged, it won't be delivered.
I have to reorder it.
And it was found to be damaged yesterday around 2 pm, and yet I hadn't received a single email about it.
Needless to say, I wasn't happy.
For a few minutes, I was in downright Grinch mode. How dare they not deliver my parcel? How dare they not email me so I could try to run out and get it while I still had time? They ruined Christmas!!!
Then I realized...why am I so upset? So what if it gets here in January instead? Because Christmas isn't about this...
It's about this...
We get so stressed this time of year, so worked up over whether our presents arrive, all the traffic we have to battle, that "idiot" who messed up our macchiato when we're already running late because we overslept after the Christmas party... But really, none of that stuff is what Christmas is truly about.
It's about a Baby.
It's about God taking on a mantle of flesh so He could lift us up out of our miry pools of sin.
It's about a King giving up a throne in order to invite us into His Kingdom.
It's about an all-powerful Master wrapping Himself in the weak body of a servant so He could break our chains.
These little gifts we pass around to each other are nice, but are nothing in light of that. They'll fade away some day.
But this Gift is Eternal. He is the Beginning and the End.
I'll be reordering the present, and it won't be coming in time for Christmas. I'll be giving it another day.
But God's Precious Gift is always available. Jesus offers salvation, peace, and joy any time. There's no need to wait for it.
*16, if you were wondering.
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