Wow, I did not expect a Christmas anywhere near as special as this year’s just even a week ago. As most of you know, my oldest son has been in Afghanistan this year and was not expected to be home for Christmas. I had accepted that fact and was trying to still enjoy the holiday with the other 6 kids and 4 grandkids that were home. Friday night we headed to my sister’s house for our annual get together with our families. We were enjoying good food and catching up with each other when all of a sudden things changed.
My daughter-in-law arrived and told us all to be quiet that she was getting my son on the phone. When he got on the phone, they handed it to me. I started talking to him, but it wasn’t sounding like the normal “drive-through” tone that conversations from Afghanistan were supposed to sound like. The next thing I knew, he was walking through the door! How exciting was that?! Totally caught off guard and in shock, I was elated that my family would be together for Christmas!
We had brought Christmas gifts for my son’s wife and kids but since I had no idea he would be there, I had sent his gifts to Afghanistan for him to have in time for Christmas. He always loves Christmas and gets excited about opening his gifts. I felt so bad as he had nothing to open as everyone else opened up theirs all around him. I just didn’t know, so I wasn’t prepared.
I started thinking about this and about the day when Jesus comes back. I pretty much expect my heart to be racing just the same as it was Friday night, a little bit of shock and awe, and then I started thinking…will I be prepared? Will I have a gift to offer Him? What will that day really be like?
Then I quickly realized, the story will be the same. It’s not about the physical gifts I give. My son’s gift that night was the fact he was able to be with his family and essentially be the Christmas miracle of the year! I suspect Jesus will feel the same way. He is the only Miracle we need. He doesn’t want our stuff on that day, He wants us. We don’t have to have gifts wrapped and tucked away for that special day and time, we just need to be ready with the gift of ourselves. By that I mean that we need to have accepted His gift of eternal life and be living every day as though it was the day of His return. For by living our lives for Him, we are earning our jewels for our crowns that we will lay down at His feet when the time comes. Those crowns and jewels will be our symbol of our life lived for Him–our gift so to speak.
The Bible says in Matthew 24 (NKJV),
36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven,but My Father only…
42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming…
44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
When that day comes, it won’t matter the type, size or grandeur of the gifts we have to offer such as those the wise men presented at His birth. The only thing that will matter is our relationship with Him. Have we accepted Him as our Savior, served Him, loved Him, shared Him, and cherished Him while in this life on earth? Just as my son’s homecoming was a huge surprise, so will that of my Savior’s be as well. I think I had a little taste of the joy that may be present on that day this weekend. I suspect though that nothing can compare.
Are you ready for that day? Have you given Him your life? Are you working on a relationship with Him that will far surpass any physical gift you can conjure up to give? In reality, the only gift He wants is you. I am not a musician and I certainly cannot sing. However, I like this song that I found to remind us the day when we will lay our crowns at His feet…our gift of our lives lived for Him…our offering to our Savior. Enjoy and I’ll see you next year!
Lori Kempton, Author/Speaker 