Advent: How Can We Refuse A Gift of Such Value?

In this season one of the things on all of our minds in this country is the question of what kind of gifts are we going to give? And of course, depending on our age and stage we might also be wondering what kind of gift are we going to receive. For too many years money was so tight in our household that I lived in such anxiety – trying to figure out how to make Christmas special for the children – and realizing that I could never do what was in my heart to do. After years of that stress, I began to understand some things about gifts.

Few of us turn away from free gifts, particularly gifts of great value. There is a natural tendency in us to become excited about what could possibly be in a decorated box. And there is a tremendous joy in receiving something that we really wanted – and didn’t anticipate. Let’s be real – we all like gifts – and we really like it when the person who gives us the gift really made the effort to get us something that we really like, or wanted.

Thank heavens I don’t have to worry about figuring out where my children are any more – what they want – they’re grown now – and I certainly cannot go into that stress with the grandchildren. I pray that they will have a wonderful Christmas, but because I’ve learned so much over the years about what is really important, I pray that they will have a “God” Christmas – I pray that they will have their family in tact, healthy, whole, loving each other – not concentrating on what’s under the tree, but concentrating on who is around the tree!

In this last week of Advent – I ask a question – and it’s not just directed to you – it’s also directed to me – if we could get the greatest gift in the world, the most valuable, the one with the most potential to have a lasting impact on our lives – what would we do with it? Well, we have been offered that gift –

2For if the message given through angels [the Law spoken by them to Moses] was authentic and proved sure, and every violation and disobedience received an appropriate (just and adequate) penalty,
3How shall we escape [appropriate retribution] if we neglect and refuse to pay attention to such a great salvation [as is now offered to us, letting it drift past us forever]? For it was declared at first by the Lord [Himself], and it was confirmed to us and proved to be real and genuine by those who personally heard [Him speak].
4[Besides this evidence] it was also established and plainly endorsed by God, Who showed His approval of it by signs and wonders and various miraculous manifestations of [His] power and by imparting the gifts of the Holy Spirit [to the believers] according to His own will.
5For it was not to angels that God subjected the habitable world of the future, of which we are speaking.
6It has been solemnly and earnestly said in a certain place, What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You graciously and helpfully care for and visit and look after him?