The Feast of St. Nicholas

“Without cost you have received, without cost you are to give.” – Matthew 10:8

Situation Explained
What’s on your Christmas list this season?

Solution Offered
I love opening Christmas gifts. I know, I know, it’s the politically correct thing around Christmas time to say “it’s better to give than to receive”…and that is true, but I’m going to be honest – I LOVE opening Christmas gifts. Upon reflection, it’s not as much about the actual gift as it is about the build up.

The anticipation of what Santa would bring usually outweighed the excitement over what I opened on Christmas morning. The odd-shaped objects, each of them covered in tape and wrapping paper, added a mysterious excitement to the pre-sunrise wake-up calls I would inflict upon my parents and siblings. Handing out the gifts and seeing others’ expressions was the best, but ripping open a box with that toy you had longed for was a close second in my book.

The past few years, though, while I’ve still loved receiving gifts and while I’m touched at others’ thoughtfulness, something has been missing. My “list” of things I want has changed and shrunk from long (childhood) to simple (teenage years) to “necessary” (college) to nothing (these days). If I had to sit down and put together a list this year of “what I want”, it would be blank.

In short, I really don’t need any gifts; God has given me enough already. I just have to do a better job recognizing the gifts He gives me and do a better job giving them back to Him for HIS glory. I need to remember that every good thing in my life and every good thing about my life are gifts from God.

Nothing you have…not your money, not your home, not your job, your car or your family are yours: none of them. And they’re not because of you. Sure, you have worked hard for your money, but it was God who gave you that ability, that knowledge, opportunity, skill, drive and work ethic. All that success, no matter how hard you have worked, is because of God. You might be a great athlete, an accomplished musician, a phenomenal writer or a successful professional. You might be a stellar student, have stunning looks, amazing brains or an incredible sense of humor. And none of those things are yours because of you…none of them. They are gifts...

They are gifts – gifts that no Santa Claus could ever bring.
They are gifts – gifts that are entrusted to you by Christ your King.

In fact, the only thing in your life that is all yours is your sin.

The same goes for me; my sin is all mine.

The sin is all ours. Everything else about you (and me), down to the last brain cell, muscle, talent, skill, brand name in the closet and decimal point in the checkbook is, ultimately, from God.

Think about that.

Why do I mention it? That’s one of the modern truths that Jesus is basically saying in this verse from Matthew. The truth is that we can’t truly “give” until we realize what we have already been given.

On December 6th, we recognize and celebrate the feast of St. Nicholas, the inspiration for our modern understanding of Santa Claus. (Read more about the history behind jolly ‘ol St. Nick .) He's a giver not just of gifts, but of self.

In the weeks to come, the malls will get busier with people buying gifts and the stress will mount as we search for gifts. But the greatest gift you can give this Christmas season is the gift of yourself, and Christ in you.

Take time to look people in the eye and affirm their presence in your life.
Take time to thank God, your father, for everything you are…asking Him (and giving Him permission) to perfect all that you are not.

Take the time to seek His forgiveness for your sin. Reconcile yourself to Him. Trust that His mercy is that big

Your Christmas list, like mine, should not be a litany of things we “want”, but a list of people He might want us to reach out to, to share our gifts with…in that “giving” of self, we will receive all God has intended for us, and more.

St. Nicholas became legendary and world famous for his generosity of spirit. God’s placed that same Spirit in you…a Spirit to be shared, if you are willing.
That’s the Christmas Spirit.

Salvation Given
“Without cost you have received, without cost you are to give.” – Matthew 10:8

It’s time to open ALL the gifts we’ve been given.
It’d be a sin not to share with all - all that is beyond our sin.

mark hart
source

Here is our King

That's My King! from Albert Martin on Vimeo.

{Here is our King, here is our Lord/here is our God whose come to bring us back to Him./He is the One, He is Jesus.}

- Here is our King, David Crowder Band -

1 Peter 1

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you who by the power of God are safeguarded through faith, to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time. In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for Christ. Although you have not seen him you love him; even though you do not see him now yet believe in him, you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, as you attain the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

-1 Peter 1:3-9

source.

Happy Thanksgiving!