Intro: Yesterday, I picked up some Christmas wrapping paper while at the store. I enjoy wrapping the few gifts we buy for family and friends; it makes me smile to see a beautifully wrapped package nestled under the Christmas tree. Honestly, I am filled with joy as I read our passage for today, because it reminds me of God’s many wrapped packages throughout the Kingdom. Every day God’s Word helps me turn my thoughts from the temporal things of this world and instead cast my gaze upon the eternal wonder of his love and grace.
God has provided us with the greatest Gift we could ever receive—the Christ. Not only is he the Son of God, he is the Tree of Life and he came to offer us his life in exchange for our death; his righteousness in exchange for our sin…our filthy rags in exchange for his glory. God wraps us into Christ; he covers us with grace and godliness like a beautifully wrapped package. Because we are wrapped in Christ, we have everything we will ever need for the rest of our lives on earth and for eternity in glory. We are simply required to open ourselves up and to appropriate all we need through faith and obedience to God’s Word. Now, truly this is Good News for a miraculous Christmas celebration, indeed (Eph 1:3)!
2 Peter 1:2-15 (TPT)
God’s Generous Grace
3 Everything we could ever need for life and godliness [complete devotion] has already been deposited in us by his divine power. For all this was lavished upon us through the rich experience of knowing him who has called us by name and invited us to come to him through a glorious manifestation of his goodness. [glory] 4 As a result of this, he has given you [us] magnificent promises that are beyond all price, so that through the power of these tremendous promises [faith releases the power of the Word of God] we can experience partnership with the divine nature, by which you have escaped [been acquitted] the corrupt desires that are of the world.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for wrapping me in the perfect way; your wrapping makes this physical package of mine beautiful and desirable to your heart. As I move forward during this Christmas season, may I remember your generous grace that has provided me the perfect Christmas experience every day for the rest of eternity. I want more of Christ in my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.