Saturday 24 December 2011

Gifts of the Heart

It’s Christmas Eve. and excited children all over the world wait in anticipation of opening their gifts in the morning and some will hope that the gift they bought their friends and relatives will be unwrapped to cries of ‘Just what I’ve always wanted,’   

Many homes will have a brightly lit Christmas
tree with an Angel on the top each branch
trimmed with baubles and tinsel, colourfully
wrapped gifts of all shapes and sizes neatly
arranged around its base, There are those of
course who for whatever reason do not
celebrate the birth of Jesus but the Gift of
the Christ child is for everyone even those
who do not celebrate.


This Gift was not found under a tree. (the tree featured thirty three years later) nor wrapped in fancy gift wrap. (just strips of cloth) no tinsel, no streamers, no balloons or party poppers but there was the biggest proclamation you could ever imagine,
an Angel of God accompanied by others from Heavens’ Army appeared to some frightened shepherds who were going about their business tending sheep.
             
Of course it’s only fitting for a shepherd to know when a lamb has been born. and what a way to announce it. Can you imagine the sight. They were of course afraid at first and the Angel said 'Fear not I bring you glad tidings of great Joy'


Later three Wise Men following the brightest star there’s ever been. called to pay homage.each bringing a gift from the heart. Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.
Jesus is Gods’ triple gift of the heart to mankind,
Love Joy and Peace
   
but in order to get the full benefit of a gift you have to unwrap it.


Hundreds of years before the Messiahs birth Isaiah wrote
  
Isaiah 9:6-8
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,
   and the government will be on his shoulders.
   and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
   there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne
   and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it
   with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.
The ZEAL of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.
  
The gift of Love
  
John 3:16 says
’For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that every one who believes in him shall not be lost, but should have eternal life.’
  
1 John 4:10 says
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
  
and 1 John 4:8 says
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
   
The gift of Joy
  
John 15:10-12 says
10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.
11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you
   
The gift of Peace
Luke 2:12-14 
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
  
John 14:26-27 
26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Jesus is of course The Prince of Peace
May you be so richly blessed as you unwrap Gods’ gift anew this Christmas.
May Love, Joy and Peace be yours in abundance.

Biiiiig hug

Two songs for Christmas
Please click to hear
1. Sing Out Hallelujah
2. Just A Stable In Bethlehem

21 comments:

  1. Beautiful post, Jacky! I like your songs; your voice has a sweet, folksy quality.

    A big Christmas hug to you, my brother. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Big hug back to you my friend. Enjoy the day of days as Christ unwraps it before you.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for this lovely reminder about the true gift of Christmas. The pictures were beautiful and the scriptures - the most important detail - were well chosen. Blessings to you and yours.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I really liked the way you interwove the Christmas of today with that first Christmas celebration and then rounded it out with the perfect Bible references.
    I just posted my pictures of Christmas images of my new home town on my blog.

    Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Great post, loved all of the verses. It's so amazing God's love for us! Merry Christmas!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. thanks Traci
    Bless you Keith
    Blessings to you Tracy
    Thanks Chris I'll pop by and take a look
    thanks Suzette yes He is Amazing, Truly Amazing.
    Bless you Mike
    and a Happy Christmas to all

    ReplyDelete
  7. Great post...wonderful thoughts. Hope you have a Merry Christmas tomorrow. Peace and Blessings

    ReplyDelete
  8. This is a great post. I love the way you relate scripture to us modern folk and our frame of reference. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thank you Jack - wonderful post. I loved the scriptures used which told the story perfectly. Blessings to you and your writing!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thank you so much for stopping by my blog and your kind comment.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Sitting quietly, slowly unwrapping your words, Jaybee. Thank you. They are a gift!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thanks Edward
    Glad you liked it Debra Ann
    God Bless you Carol
    Thanks Terrie
    You are welcome Debra Ann
    Biiiig hug Cindee

    ReplyDelete
  13. Sorry I'm late getting by here. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas.

    ReplyDelete
  14. good one JB!

    I'm in a way glad I'm just reading this today... I need this reminder every day of the year. So many so soon forget, Jesus is alive every day of the year :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. yes thanks Deborah hope you were blessed this Christmas too

    yes Chris and it's by Him we live and have our very being

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'm always laughing at the cute angels we see everywhere, because when they appear in the Bible folks were TERRIFIED! Fear not! Seriously, who's afraid of cute chubby baby-like angels w/wee little harps? :D

    Biiiiig hug to you!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I love how you said the "tree" didn't come into it for another 33 years. What a great connection! It was those outside the Christian faith who added the tree to our holiday observance; it was those outside the faith who nailed Christ to the other tree at the end of His life. Yet he died for them as well as for us.

    Great reminder, great parallels, great verses, great post.

    Biiiiiiger hug. . . !

    ReplyDelete
  18. thanks Scott
    just a hug back I dont want to start a biiiiiger hug war :)

    ReplyDelete