It is beautifully wrapped. It has your name on it. It was sent to you by someone that loves you.

Even though the gift is free and given willingly, we are sometimes hesitant to receive and open it. We just look at it. We talk to others about it. We wonder what it’s like. Those around us may finally say, “Why don’t you just open it?”

At our house, gifts are placed under the Christmas tree weeks in advance. But, I can assure you that by the earliest opportunity on December 25, all gifts are received and opened. The beautiful wrapping paper that had been covering them very quickly becomes unimportant.

What if we decided on Christmas morning to leave the gifts wrapped and just keep wondering about them? Sounds ridiculous, right? We would never do that.

Not only would we miss out on the pleasure and benefits received from accepting our gift, but have you ever thought how the giver of the gift would feel when offering us a gift we didn’t receive?

John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that He GAVE His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Yes, God gave His Son so that we could have eternal life…. Now, that’s a gift!

Ephesians 2:8 – For by grace are we saved through faith; not of ourselves: it is the GIFT of God.

The gift of God? Yes. It is free. We can’t buy it. We can’t earn it. We sure don’t deserve it.

John 4:10 – While Jesus ministered to the woman at the well, He said, “If you only knew the gift of God….” If we understood the magnitude of His gift to us, we surely wouldn’t waste one second receiving it, would we?

God gave us a gift. It’s a personal gift.

He reached down from heaven to deliver it to us.

He sent His Son, Jesus, to bear the sin of the world on the cross.

The world? That is you. And you. And you. And me. And all of us.

Because of His unfailing love, sometimes if we don’t immediately accept the gift of salvation when He first speaks to our hearts, He will keep gently pushing the beautiful gift toward us, giving us a little nudge, and reminding us that the gift is still available.

I received my ‘gift of God’ years ago, and it is the best decision I ever made.

If I could receive and open your gift for you, I would.

But… I can’t.

Because … it’s your gift. It is from God – to you.

Go ahead…

Ann Farabee, writer, teacher, and speaker, has taught in Kannapolis City Schools and Mooresville Schools. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or visit  annfarabee.com