The Ultimate Re-Gift

Re-gifting is the phrase to coin this time of year. One of the radio stations here in Atlanta has even been hosting a "re-gifting closet" every morning throughout the month of December just to re-gift unwanted items. Of course on the radio, people know they are receiving something coming out of the re-gifting closet.

How about the rest of us? When we open a package under the tree or in a restaurant or at someone's house, was that gift REALLY picked out with great care and precision, with the giver knowing in their heart of hearts that each of us, as receivers, would cherish and treasure it? Were our passions and our desires considered as the gift was chosen, or did someone dig in a closet to find a 3 year old candle to give us?

Makes you think, doesn't it? Don't feel too bad. We re-gift for a variety of reasons...money...extra stuff we don't need...the list goes on and on.

God also played in the closet of re-gifting. He decided that the beautiful world He is creating beyond this one would not be beautiful enough if He had no one to share it with. And so, in the love and compassion that only God can give, came the best re-gift of all.

Isaiah 7:14

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."

Isaiah 9:6-7

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this."

Not only did God re-gift and re-package Himself--He even told us He would do it. Hundreds of years before Jesus was conceived, God told us of His plan to re-gift Himself. Why did He do it?

Maybe so we could see Him more clearly.

Maybe so He could truly understand what it meant to be human.

Maybe so we could recognize Who He is.

Maybe so He could recognize our sin for what it is.

Maybe so we could relate better to Him.

Maybe so He could demonstrate that the greatest gift of all is His love in the form of a tiny baby.

God didn't just rush to His closet to grab the first thing He could find to give us. We didn't pay attention to all the other signs, so this present was thought out much more carefully. What would He look like to us? How would His demeanor be? How long would it take to carry out the mission and accomplish the goal?

Most importantly, how would we recognize that this present was from Him?

God announced the coming of Jesus--our precious re-gift--with prophecies in Isaiah and then with trumpets in Luke to shepherds in the fields.

Luke 2: 13-15

"Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angels, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.' When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.'"

God whispered His presence that night...and shouted it as loud as He could. The ultimate love re-gift--the complete saving package--the most ordinarily beautiful present--had come to save each person in the world from the world itself.

It was God's last effort to grab our attention. But make no mistake. It was not a last minute decision. God knew we would need Jesus. So He prepared for thousands of years in advance to re-gift Jesus to us. Re-gift Himself to us.

The ultimate re-gift--the gift of saving love dressed as a baby in a manger--yet reigning on the throne over the entire universe.

Merry Christmas!