I have been asking God to show me what that picture meant ever since. I knew He had shown it to me and I knew I couldn’t just forget about it. So, yesterday at church, during worship, yet again I saw the tree. The Christmas tree with the beautiful gifts still wrapped underneath. Then I had this thought, ‘Leave no gift unopened’. I was like God, ‘What does that mean? What are you saying? Help me understand.’ So here I am this morning trusting His Holy Spirit to fully reveal and speak truth to us during this season.
Can we all agree how sad it would be for someone to go out and purchase another person a gift and it remain unopened under the tree at the end of our Christmas celebrations? I mean the person who purchased the gift had to take time to search it out, possibly gave thought of the receiver and the things they like and then spent their money to purchase it so that the receiver would be able to have it and enjoy it. Yet, it remains under the tree. The decorations are being put away the lights taken off the tree and there’s the gift just sitting there. I think we have all experienced that before. It’s like a loss has taken place in some way. A particular sadness when you see the gift and you don’t know where to even put it.
Maybe the person it was to belong to just didn’t show up. Maybe they did show up and didn’t know it was theirs to have. Or maybe they were handed the gift, but since they hadn’t even hardly visited or spoken to the giver they felt unworthy to receive it, open it and enjoy it. When you see the unopened gift you don’t know the reasons why, you just know there’s a gift left unopened and it shouldn’t have been.
Can we begin to picture this giant Christmas tree filled with presents, beautiful gifts all around? Wrapped and ready to be opened. It’s so great! It is so so great! Because we didn’t spend a dime!!!! And they are all for you and me! We didn’t do a thing to deserve them! We didn’t visit throughout the year enough. We didn’t call and check up on the giver enough. But that changes nothing! The giver gives because that’s what a giver does. They give! They love to give!
“The priests will enjoy abundance, and my people will feast on my good gifts. I the Lord have spoken!” Jeremiah 31:14 NLT
“They will come home and sing songs of joy on the heights of Jerusalem. They will be radiant because of the Lord’s good gifts- the abundant crops of grain, new wine, and olive oil, and the healthy flocks and herds. Their life will be like a watered garden, and all their sorrows will be gone.” Jeremiah 31:12 NLT
“So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?” Luke 11:13 NLT
“Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks.” 1 Timothy 4:4
“Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father who created all the lights in the heavens He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.” James 1:1
“And what a difference between our sin and God’s generous gift of forgiveness... For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but we have the free gift of being accepted by God, even though we are guilty of many sins. The sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over us, but all who receive God’s wonderful, gracious gift of righteousness will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:15-17
Can we now see that giant Christmas tree as a cross. The cross where every gift was purchased, paid for, carefully wrapped and given by Jesus. He gave us salvation. He took our guilt, shame and unworthiness and gave us His righteousness. We did nothing!!! So stop thinking we gotta earn this! Lord, help us! Seriously! The word says, “but all who will receive” not “all who deserve” nor “all who become worthy” nor “all who get it right”.
But, those who simply receive. Who simply show up. Who say I want it Jesus. I want all you paid for that day. I want and receive the gift of your salvation. I want to receive and walk in your righteousness. I want to receive and unwrap every gift you placed at the foot of the cross. I, through the power of your Holy Spirit, want and receive love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I want it all Jesus!
“And God has given us his Spirit (not the world’s spirit) so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.” 1 Corinthians 2:12
“Now you are no longer a salve but God’s own child. And since you are his child, everything he has belongs to you.” Galatians 4:7
One of the things I feel God is trying to show me through this is a lot of the things I ask for I have already been given and is already under the tree for my unwrapping. Many times I have caught myself saying, “God I need help!” Then just to turn right around to declare, “God, you are my help!” I ask for patience just to realize, Holy Spirit you have already given me patience, then declare, “I am a patient person.” I realize, God, I need love! I need more love for the people around me. And I begin to declare, “I can love with the love of Jesus because he has already empowered me to do so.”
The next time you feel lacking in any area. Stop and take a moment. Look at the bottom of the tree. Look at the foot of the cross. The very thing you need is already sitting there, already given, just waiting to be opended and received.
May we enter this Christmas season, seeing the gifts under the tree in a different way. May we know the Giver in such a way that we fully receive all that has already been given. He freely gave. May we freely receive and say, “Thank you Jesus!”
I know it’s early but, Merry Christmas!
Leave no gift unopened,
Lenee
