To: You Love: Jesus

1 Corinthians 2:12
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

I always find it fun to open presents on Christmas morning. After staring at them wrapped up under the tree for what seems like an eternity, it’s nice to finally get to tear into that paper and see what’s inside. I can only assume that everyone feels the same way.

At the same time, don’t we feel a great deal of joy just watching others open the presents that they’ve been given? It doesn’t really matter if they are from us or not; it is just fun to watch others open gifts. Of course, it’s even more exciting to watch people open the gifts that you have selected for them. What a great blessing: to watch and see the delight in someone’s face when they open the gift you have carefully chosen just for them.

That period of time leading up to Christmas, however, can be a bit unnerving, especially if you’re a kid. I can remember growing up and feeling as though I was going to explode waiting to see what was under the tree for me. Boxes and bags with my name on them that I couldn’t touch. Special things, fun things, things just for me that I was unable to have until a certain time.

Sadly, Christians live their spiritual and physical lives today as though they are little children waiting for Christmas morning to finally arrive. The truth, according to this verse, however, is Christmas has already come. Now we have received, past tense, already done, the Spirit who is from God, the Holy Spirit, Comforter, Helper, that we might know, see, perceive, discover,and experience the things that have been freely given to us by God.

We’re not living in the time before Christmas. More appropriately, we’re not living in the time before Grace. Christ has come! He fulfilled the Law, died our death, and paid our debts, and now sits glorified at the right hand of the Father. When He walked the earth and lived according to the Law, as He was required, Christ made mention of this to His disciples. (“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.” John 16:12-15)

The disciples who physically walked the earth with Christ were like kids during the days leading up to Christmas morning. There were blessings and riches untold waiting under the tree for them, but they were all off limits until Easter!

Folks, it’s Christmas! Christ said, “All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.” What does Christ have? Riches untold, glory, honor, righteousness, health, wealth, prosperity, peace, joy, forgiveness, and love. (The list, I’m sure, goes on for eternity.) What we need to know is this: all of these things have been freely given to us by God. His Spirit has been given to us, to declare in our hearts, that we can KNOW we have all these things. We didn’t work for them, we didn’t earn them. These are the things freely given to us by God. And, just as we love watching others open the gifts we’ve given, Jesus Christ loves when we freely receive all the gifts He’s given to us. Don’t leave them sitting under the tree, waiting to be opened; claim them as yours!

So with that I say, “MERRY CHRISTMAS!”