Gifts Under the Tree

A very Blessed Christmas to everyone! Christmas, one of the most widely celebrated seasons all around the globe. Who wouldn't love the Christmas atmosphere? Christmas carols that fills shopping malls all around, Christmas trees with colorful ornaments, and the gifts! Talk about the gifts! One of the nicest views we'd like to wake up to on a Christmas morning would probably be a tree FULL of gifts underneath it!

With all this festivity around us, it's so easy to miss out the true reason for Christmas and become too preoccupied with things like what gifts we are getting for our loved ones, or even what kind of gifts we'd love to receive for Christmas. I celebrate Christmas because I'd like to celebrate the greatest gift God gave to us, Jesus Christ, His Son to be a sin offering for us. I celebrate this Gift that was the only way for us to be saved from our sins and I really really thank God for that.

I thought to myself, "Since we're celebrating Jesus' birth, shouldn't it be proper to give Him a gift too?" With that thought, the "gift ideas" I had ranged from acts of obedience, to sharing God's love to people around, etc etc. During church service on Christmas morning, a vision came to my mind as we were worshiping and praising God.

It was a vision of a TREE, except it wasn't a Christmas tree. It was the Tree that Jesus hung upon: a large wooden CROSS! And as I imagined what gifts to put under the tree, I only offered the best I have. Then Jesus told me to put under the tree, not only my victories but my failures; not only my acts of obedience but my sins as well. It was perplexing as I thought that I was only supposed to offer the best I can to Jesus. How can He ask for anything less?!

Jesus didn't only want parts of me, but ALL of me! He wanted me to put under the Tree, my life! Not just the victories or the good things that I've experienced through Jesus. He wanted me to put my sins, my failures, my insecurities all at the foot of the Cross too! That was when I realized that offering my life as a living sacrifice to Christ for what He has done for me wasn't just about coming to Him with my victories, but it was also to put before Him my sins and my failures. That was my birthday gift to Jesus!

What are your gifts under the Tree for Jesus? HE wants every part of you, not only the good, but the parts that you may be ashamed to present to Him as well. Do you have a sin that you have been struggling with? Put it under the Cross! Has the world's view of beauty made you feel inadequate or insecure? Present it to Jesus! Let's come before Jesus with all we have and all that we are; put it at the foot of the Cross and that may be the best gifts we can offer!

This Christmas, I pray for all of us to be truly set free and with no more burdens that will hinder our fellowship with God. Wasn't that why Jesus came in the first place? :)

Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year! 

Put all that you have under the Tree; both your triumphs and your failures, and that's the best gift we can give to Jesus for Christmas!