Unwrapping the Best Gift of the Season: Grace

Christmas. The word has such a nice ring to it, and associated with it are words like joy, love, hope, peace, memories, cherished moments, family bonding, great food, presents, decorations, etc. Did you notice what was missing from that list? Because without even having the intention to do so, I did not immediately list Jesus, and for me that is a problem. 

The Christmas season continues to grow into this extravagant, commercialized holiday with each passing year. Each year, the sales begin earlier, even starting on Thanksgiving day this year, the parties are more prevalent and grow larger, the decorations are multiplied... overall, the holiday hustle and bustle just seems to never stop. There is no down time. No off switch. It is all Christmas, all the time... or so we think.

What is Christmas? Sometimes in the middle of the Christmas season, I have to constantly ask myself this question. Why am I doing what I am doing? Why am I baking these delicious, sugar-coated, calorie-less (or so we wish) cookies? Why am I buying these presents? Who are they for, and what is the purpose of giving these gifts? I get so caught up in the commercialization of the Christmas season, that I rarely stop to think about the true purpose for the celebration of the season, and before I know it, Christmas day is done and over with, and I have failed to acknowledge what really matter: The birth of my savior, Jesus Christ. 

Did you ever wonder how the tradition of gift-giving on Christmas began? I honestly never really put much though into it. I always was just excited to give gifts and receive them as well, never really thinking about why we exchange gifts like we do, but this year, I have been reading a book titled The Purpose of Christmas by Rick Warren, and I have begun to question why we do what we do on Christmas, and tonight, I read the answer as to how the gift giving tradition began. As a Christian, you might think my mind would have immediately answered that question for itself, being that the Jesus is the gift, so we continue to give gifts to others, but in all honesty, my mind never really thought about that. As I was reading tonight, I came across these words:

"Do you know why the tradition of give giving at Christmas began? Because God gave the first and greatest gift at the first Christmas- the gift of his Son."

I have prayed over and over again a prayer of thanks to God for the gift of His son, but tonight, the word grace continues to float around my head as I read about it in this book. I guess I never really put the idea of grace together with the birth of Jesus Christ. You see, the gift of Jesus Christ means so much more to us when we think about the word grace. Grace means free. It means we don't have to pay a penny to receive the gift of Jesus Christ that God sent into this world. It means that all we have to do is accept the gift. Grace, as stated by Rick Warren, is God's Riches At Christ's Expense. We are given the riches of God, His love, mercy, compassion, healing, power, comfort, guidance, etc. because He sent His one and only son to die on a cross for us. Jesus paid a very expensive price to allow you and I to experience the riches of God, but let me tell you, He thinks we are so worth it!

The awesome thing about grace is that it's not a matter of proving you deserve it, because if it were, none of us would receive grace because we all sin and fall short of the glory of God, but it is about accepting the gift of grace by faith, knowing that we do not deserve it. Although we know we don't deserve God's grace, that is the very reason that it is so amazing, and it is truly a gift, because as undeserving as we are, He still wants to offer His grace to us, and He is patiently waiting for us to accept the gift. 

Grace... the word has so much power... more than I ever really thought about. This Christmas season, I am going to do my best to continuously remind myself as to why I am celebrating. I am going to remind myself of the real purpose of Christmas, the gift of the ONE AND ONLY SON, given to me through grace from the Father. I am going to do my best to keep this at the center of my heart and mind as each day brings more holiday chaos of shopping, baking, decorating, etc. I am going to do my best to remind myself that Christmas would have no meaning if Jesus hadn't died on the cross for us and proved He is God by rising again three days later on Easter Sunday. I am going to remind myself that without the gift of the son that God has given me through grace, I would have no hope for my future. I would have no purpose in this life, and I would be lost with nowhere to go and no one to run to. I am going to remind myself that He is God, and He is good, and worthy of my praise and adoration. I am going to remind myself to fix my eyes on Him, and celebrate the love I receive day in and day out by the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace. There is one simple question I have left to ask: Will you remind yourselves with me?

First Semester Down: So What?

For as long as I can remember the words, "It will go by so fast", have been spoken into my ears. Just as quickly as the words arrive, they immediately exit. In one ear and out the other, if you will. Upon completing high school, for a moment in time, I took a second to acknowledge just how fast the time went, and I realized that indeed, the cliche words that every individual older than myself had offered me were in fact true. After a very brief second of acknowledging how fast time moves, I was moved into my dorm room at Spring Arbor University and I was saying goodbye to the life I had known so well for the past 18 years to begin this new, scary, exciting adventure. 

As I sit here tonight, I am not just taking a second to acknowledge how fast time is truly going by, but  I am sitting here in complete and utter amazement at how much God can teach me in such a short period of time, even when it feels like time is flying by at super-speed. It is finals week. My first semester of my freshmen year of college is almost over. Time has flown at a speed I did not even think capable. Students are staying up all night long studying, stress levels are crazy high, and nerves are creeping in... but not for me. Instead, I am feeling an overwhelming sense of peace and joy as God has prodded my spirit to take some time for self reflection and reflection over this semester.

There are so many things that God has been teaching me throughout this semester. He has taught me that I need to be more social. He has taught me that I have leadership skills that are beyond what I ever thought I was capable of possessing. He has taught me that I need to be transparent with people in order to build true and lasting relationships. He has taught me that it is not okay to be complacent, but that I should be challenged in my faith every single day. He has taught me that if I am comfortable, then I am not allowing Him to use me to my full potential. He has taught me to be intentional about everything, relationships, words, actions, etc. He has taught me that joy does not depend on my circumstances, but instead, it is a choice. To be joyful is a choice that I need to make on a daily basis. I could go on and on about what God has taught me about myself, relationships, education, discipline and more, but the list just would not end. In the first semester of my freshmen year at SAU, God has taught me all of this and more. 

As I reflect upon the semester and am struck with amazement at how God works in my life and teaches me on a daily basis, I think about the most important thing that God has taught me this semester and that is that it is okay to completely be myself in any circumstances or situation. He has taught me that as long as my identity is found through Him, I am completely free to be me. There is nothing that should be holding me back. He has taught me that He means it when He says that He makes no mistakes. He has taught me that I have gifts that He has blessed me with, that I have good qualities and some qualities I need to work on. He has taught me that I don't need to hide behind a mask. He has taught me that I am me for a reason and He has a very special purpose for my life. God has instilled so much trust within my soul this semester. I have complete faith that He is going to take me where I need to be. When I fear, He is there to calm my spirit and shower me with love and comfort. 

I am at Spring Arbor University for a reason. What that reason is... I am not entirely sure yet. I don't exactly know where God is leading me vocationally, but I am content. I have built friendships here that are so real. Friendships that are based on a foundation of Jesus Christ. God is providing me with incredible opportunities to lead, minister and be free to be myself. He is guiding me along with every step that I take, and I trust Him to lead me. My life has been dramatically changed in one semester at SAU, and I am so incredibly blessed and I would not change it for the world.