Is It Christmas Yet?

{Originally written as a devotional in June 2011.}

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Is it here yet??? I absolutely love Christmas. As lame as this sounds, I think about it year round. This Christmas is my first Christmas with my husband in our beautiful apartment and I have been planning since December 26, 2010. I have tons of Christmas decorations (that I got on clearance for $25). No tree... still working on that. I have recipes for Christmas cookies, and a playlist of my favorite background music and Christmas songs. (Josh Groban's Noel is definitely on that list!). I am looking forward to all of programs, cantatas, and holiday season bustle. Did I mention Christmas starts for me Thanksgiving Day right around 2 pm?

More important than the decorating and activities of Christmas, I love planning all of the gifts that I will give to my wonderful family and friends. In fact, I have already started planning. Not that I have a clue what I am getting some people, but I have a nice little list of fun ideas for various people. It is so much fun planning that gift, saving the necessary money/or spending the time, hiding it, wrapping it, hiding it again, and finally giving it to that person that I care so much about. It's no wonder they say It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Imagine with me for a moment, that I have done just that. I have the precious gift, I have treasured it, and planned it just right. It is wrapped in the most beautiful wrapping I can find. I have waited for the perfect day and the perfect moment. It is desirable and there is no reason that anyone would not want it.

With my arms out, the treasured gifts lies in my hands, waiting to be taken, but the recipient of the gift says, No thank you. I do not want it.

Ouch! Seriously? What is wrong with my gift? It was perfect. There was no reason that anyone would reject it.

Have you ever considered - God has done the same thing for us. He planned and prepared the Perfect Gift. He treasured It and wrapped It just right. He selected the right time, the right place, and the right moment to present the Perfect Gift. And we have rejected it. The gift of Jesus Christ is free. It is being held out in God's arms, ready for us to accept. Have you accepted or rejected His Gift?

For the wages of sin is death; 

but the gift of God is eternal life 

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

~ Romans 6:23 ~

Photo courtesy: http://studioten25.com/blog/?p=8377#.UpussaWg7s8