December 25, 2022 . . .
I have really been struggling to find Marie a Christmas gift this year. It can’t be just any old gift; it has to be THE gift. She worked hard to find me the gift I asked for and I can’t let her get one up on me. The problem is, she didn’t ask for anything, and to make matters worse, when I asked her what she wanted for Christmas, she replied, “Nothing, because I have you and that’s enough.” While I question her sanity, how do you top a response like that? I think I have figured out what to get her and I will update you later as to who came out on top in the Plank’s Great 2022 Christmas Gift Exchange. All this going on about gift giving and finding the perfect gift has got me pondering. A long time ago, a group of shepherds were watching over their flocks of sheep in a field on the outskirts of Bethlehem. It was just another night like a bunch of other nights before it. I mean, it’s dark, it’s night, and other than the occasional critter who might want lambchops for supper, it was probably pretty boring. Until suddenly, it wasn’t. All of a sudden, an angel of the Lord appeared and the glory of God was all around them. Talk about a wakeup call! Sheraton Hotels can’t beat that! The angel announced the birth of the Savior to these shepherds, who promptly went to visit the newborn Jesus! While Marie got me a terrific gift and I think she will enjoy the gift I got her, these gifts can’t touch the gift God gave mankind that night. With the incarnation (God becoming human) of Jesus, and his sacrificial death on the cross, God gave us the greatest gift of all. God gave us Himself. In giving us Himself, He gave us a way to have a relationship with Him. He gave us a way of having our sins forgiven and our debt to God paid. Who needs anything else? Merry Christmas!
Be blessed and be a blessing . . . Bro. Andy
