Dear Lord, the world is filled with stuff I'm supposed to want: things which are supposed to make me feel good. I give thanks that You have -- in Jesus -- given me the Gift I need. In Him may I feel good, as well as saved. This I pray in my Savior's Name. Amen.

"A Good Gift"

November 28, 2011

For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given ... Isaiah 9:6a


Financially, for many people 2011 has not been a great year.

Still, there are always those who manage to do well. If you happen to be one of those, you may want to start putting your Christmas list together. If so, there is no better place to begin than the 2011 Christmas Book of Neiman Marcus.

They do have some interesting gifts. For example, you can get a yurt.

Yes, a yurt.

For those of you who don't know (and I was one), a yurt is a nomadic tent from Mongolia. Of course, this yurt is a cut above most. It is18 feet in diameter, hand-painted, packed chock full of one-of-a-kind, down-filled pillows. Oh, I shouldn't forget; this yurt has a crystal chandelier.

Perhaps, a yurt isn't exactly what you've been hoping for. If so, Neiman Marcus has other ideas.

For example, you could pick up a $125,000 library. This library has great carpets, artful bric-a-brac and paintings. Oh, it also has books, 250 books of your choice.

Still not enough? How about a flower show or a series of flower shows? For only $420,000 you and nine of your friends can be flown by private jet to the tulip festival in Switzerland and the Kifissia flower show in Athens and the Altera rose festival in Avignon. Of course, you won't want to miss the Chelsea flower show in London. That's included, too.

Well, has Neiman Marcus listed the gift that will make you say, "Oh, just what I wanted!"?

Perhaps not.

If that is the case, I would like to point out that Jesus, God's Gift to sinful humanity, was not universally wanted or appreciated when He came to earth.

Herod was the first to try and end the Savior's life. Herod was the first, but he certainly wasn't the only. The people of Nazareth didn't like what Jesus had to say, and they tried to eliminate their most famous Son. The Pharisees were always trying to hatch a plot to take out the Christ, as did the chief priests and the scribes.

Not a very good reaction to God's good Gift, was it? I pray your reaction is different. You see in Jesus we have been given both forgiveness and salvation. This, of course, makes Jesus the perfect Gift which everybody needs.

Only through His life, His sacrifice, His death and resurrection are we saved and heaven becomes a reality. By God's grace this Christmas may our repentant hearts say, "Oh, just what I wanted!"