Ever been the one who doesn't receive the gift during a gift exchange?
For a few hours, I was that person. I will admit I was disappointed at first, and it was only over a simple scarf exchange. Besides that fact, I got the missing gift within 24 hours. It wasn't a huge disappointment, but one none the less. I also came home to see my sister be the one without an expected gift. My mom had repeatedly asked her what she'd received from her dance company gift exchange but my sister wouldn't answer. Once mom was gone she told me that she actually hadn't received one because her 'giver' wasn't there. I knew how she'd felt, and I knew it wasn't the greatest feeling.
Thinking about this, I realized: At least it's Christmas, we ALL get a gift. God sent Jesus as a gift to us all! It seems to simple, but means so much. And I know that sometimes it's hard to see that in the midst of being left out; but this year, if I should again end up gift-less, I will remember that I have been given the greatest gift of all... forgiveness, and that journey to the cross all started with a baby in Bethlehem.
your post reminded me of this video i saw today of the gift we've all been given. not to say the absence of gifts at Christmastime is equatable to losing a loved one, but no matter what, our hope is not in material things but in what's been given to us: life, both in this world and eternally with God.
ReplyDelete