Gift for the Savior.

‘Just got back from the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping in the 11^th hour—you know, running around to collect those few desired items that had not yet been purchased. Yes, the stores were busy, but I don’t mind the crowds; in fact, I rather like them—‘love the energy, the noise, and also the thought that our economy is indeed going to be okay!

Still, in the back of my mind, I have been batting around what I might give to Jesus this Christmas. What do I have that he would want?  After all, in gift giving, don’t we consider the wants and needs of the receiver? Sure we do, but then the Magi brought gifts that were meaningful and symbolic, not at all tied to needs or wants of the young Messiah. Hmmm . . . We read, “In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage … When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:1-2, 9-11

Ah, gifts . . . Several days ago, at my dear Long Beach Sanctuary meeting, I floated the question to my friends: What could you give to the Christ Child this year? (Notice—I didn’t ask them what they would give to Jesus, only what they could give?) Silence hung in the air . . . and then Dan spoke up. A Vietnam vet, battling sobriety, demons from the past, and a rough living situation, he said, ‘Uh… my trust. Yeah,  I would trust him more.’ I knew there was so much behind his words, so I inquired, ‘Could you elaborate on that?’ ‘Yeah….I would stop trying to control everything, and trust him more . . . realize that he is in charge, and that he will take care of things.’ His words were sage. Is there not a one of us who does not need to trust God with all of who we are??

Another said, ‘Devotion . . . I would give him my devotion.’ And then there was quiet. Inwardly, I scratched my head as I looked around the circle---why was it that these simple folk, most of whom have nothing much to call their own—no home, no appreciable assets, no family, no job . . . could easily deduce what they could give to their Savior? I guess that is just it…when you have no ‘earthly’ assets to draw from, then you go to the intangibles, (those which lie within you, and make up who you are), which happen to be the only things you have to give. Funny thing is, those are the things that God wants. And then I reflect again on Christina Rossetti’s final words of her poem, and 138 years later, they are right on point.

“What can I give him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb, If I were a wise man, I would do my part— Yet what I can I give him? Give my heart.”

God doesn’t need anything from us, and yet, the very thing he wants, is us! Some of us make intellectual decisions, acknowledging that the claims of God have merit—that when one takes the time to check, there is much that is verifiable about Christianity—fulfilled prophecies, historical, scientific, and archaeological proofs that back up the claims of the Gospel. But if those are so, if they are true, then a commitment to the Christ of the Gospel is in order. That commitment is giving all of who we are to God—you know, not just enough to get to Heaven, or enough to consider ourselves ‘Christian’ or a lesser standard, ‘religious’ or ‘spiritual’ (like Oprah style). . . no, God deserves and he requires nothing less than our total devotion—our complete trust.

What do you say then? Could you, might you, will you give your whole self to the Lover of your Soul? Yes, that would be a wonderful gift for the Savior this Christmas----give him yourself, and be fully devoted to him.

Christine