With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God (Eph. 2:8)
Christmas time is a time for gift giving and receiving. Gifts will be given—and received— only to be forgotten. It is a rare moment when a treasured gift given becomes a treasured gift received. Such a gift makes its way into the heart of the recipient, handled often, thought about often, talked about often. When this happens, both the giver and the receiver rejoice. By GRACE (God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense) God has given mankind the gift of salvation through His Son. God’s Gift, given by grace, received through faith. The one who treasures His Gift, immersing himself in the grace of God, finds his heart changing, softening. He is no longer at enmity with God and His law, but He desires to conform his will to God’s will. His mind is being renewed, regenerated (Ro. 12:2), as he becomes increasingly familiar with the treasured gift he has been given.
God’s gift to us, Jesus, wellspring of life for hungry souls. The baby Jesus lying in a feeding trough will grow to be the man Jesus dying on the cross. Born to die that we may live. The shepherds quaked, Mary pondered, Joseph marveled. God gave His most treasured gift for us when He gave His only Son, Redeemer of our souls. Through faith we receive His gift. When we treasure the Gift He has given, He rejoices. The angels rejoice. We begin our personal relationship with Him. His Word becomes food and nourishment for us. When we feast on God’s Gift to us, every word, every action is seasoned with this Gift. We begin to live a life of peace, of faith, of hope. We desire to spend time with Him, to think about Him, to talk about Him. This is the natural outcome of the gift God has given us when we receive and treasure it.
God, Creator, All-wise, All-knowing, the very definition of love, has given you a Gift. Jesus, Prince of Peace, Redeemer, Anchor for your soul. Are you treasuring the Gift He has given you? It is by His grace, His kindness, His goodness, that He has made it possible for you to live a blessed life. Just as you cannot ignore a Christmas gift that you treasure, neither can you ignore God’s Gift to you. Your old interests are laid aside and your faith grows. Right now, won’t you remember baby Jesus, wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in that manger, feeding trough for animals, nourishment for your soul. “With the dawn of redeeming grace Jesus, Lord at Thy birth.”