Throughout December, inspired by the unwrapping of Christmas gifts on Christmas morning, our contributors unwrapped gifts we have from being united with Christ. Yes, we have spiritual gifts, but in this series, we focused on the numerous “spiritual blessings” Paul writes about in Ephesians.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places…. —Ephesians 1:3
If you missed one or all our posts in December, this post provides access to all our #UnwrappingChristmas posts. Let the unwrapping commence!
Hope
Ali unwraps the gift of hope in her post, The Gift of Hope. She leads us through a thorough look at what hope is and isn’t, focusing us on the object and result of our hope in God. Challenging us to see the depth of hope she writes, “…a true, biblical hope keeps in mind that God knows best. Even when God chooses differently than what we’d like …. A hopeful heart is a submissive heart.”
Strength
Jaime shares about the gift of strength in her post, The Gift of Strength. Recounting her own struggle to balance the joy of Christmas and the busyness the season brings; she unwraps the beauty of the strength we have in the Lord. These words of Jaime’s came at just the right time for me, “It is not the ability to do everything perfectly on our own, but an invitation to rest in His power, which shines through our weakness like the lights on a Christmas tree.”
Redemption
Sabrina unpacks of the gift of redemption in her post, The Gift of Redemption. She explains, redemption is “The one that makes all of the other gifts make sense…. Because you can’t be perfect, you can’t be enough, you can’t earn all of the other gifts God wants to give you, you must first accept this one.” From there she reminds us that God’s provision of redemption is necessary, costly, and free.
Jesus Holds ALL Things Together
Long inspired by Colossians 1:17, I unwrap the gift that Jesus holds ALL things together for those who trust Him, in a post titled Unwrapping Christmas: Jesus Holds ALL Things Together. Peeling back the wrapping, I explore how redemption, restoration, and sanctification provide context for understanding how Christ holds all things together. In conclusion I shared what the gift of Colossians 1:17 means for Believers.
- The gift of Christ’s presence with us always, no matter the circumstances.
- Jesus gifts us with His acquaintance with ALL our sorrows and difficulties.
- The gift is resourceful. He uses everything in our lives to point us and others to Him.
- This gift guarantees GOD’s desired outcome.
Adoption
From her adoptive parent lens, Kristee unwraps the gift of our adoption in God’s family in the post, Forever. Exploring the historical and spiritual meaning of adoption, she explains, “Paul wanted his readers to understand the completely new position they were in as God’s children, no longer linked to their former ways of life. The debt of their sin was gone. They had new responsibilities as children of the King and were ‘co-heirs with Christ.’ Romans 8:17.” She goes on to remind us that our adoption is FOREVER. Thanks be to God!
Peace
Lastly, Jennifer shares the gift of God’s peace in her post, The Gift of Peace. She walks us through a personal experience in unwrapping the meaning of “peace that passes understanding.” She reminds us that perfect peace is nestled in God’s goodness, faithfulness, and love. She concludes, “the gift of peace is a deeply abiding peace – peace with God, peace within myself, and peace with others – that can be experienced even in the context of external turmoil.”
Unwrap Jesus’ Gifts Everyday
Although Christmas comes one time a year, these gifts of Jesus that we have shared with you are available everyday without fail. We pray you will unwrap them with the dawning of each new day. May these gifts encourage and strengthen you as we welcome 2022.
Did you learn something or think a new thought because of something you read in this series? If so, please leave a comment below. We love to hear from you.
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