Editors note: For the month of December, our theme is “The Gift of Jesus” and our focus verses are found in Luke 2:10-14. “but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord- has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger. Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others – the armies of heaven – praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life,” John 3:16. Jesus is our ultimate gift, and this verse is one that I think of often during this time of year. We have been given the most amazing gift, one that allows us to know Him, walk with Him, and the best thing of all, to live with Him for the rest of eternity. Nothing can top this gift.
This season of our life has really shown me that Jesus goes with us no matter where we live or work. Moving to a new town is an adventure but leaving what you know behind is hard. One thing that it has taught me is that those people we choose to do life with are another aspect of the gift of Jesus. I look back and I can see all the different gifts in everyone, and I know that all of them combined make up the body of Christ. Everyone represents a part of who He is because we are all made in His image and are equipped with different gifts that we are to use to further the Kingdom of God.
A few examples are that I see the gift of Jesus in that friend who lives across the street that I can run to whenever I need help with parenting my kids in a kingdom way or the gift of prayer when I call the Pastor’s wife because I am going through something, and I need someone to agree with me in prayer. I also see Jesus in a friend we can go to when we need help discipling our son because he is going through things, and we want to make sure we are setting him up on the right path. The gift of love is in a couple that I serve with at church who are always there and give the best hugs and in someone I work with that sees things in me and helps me develop my giftings to give to those around me. You see, each and everyone of you has a gift inside of you that Jesus gave you that is special. This gift is to be shared with others and when you do, you are sharing the gift of Jesus. I always knew I had friends who could speak life into us but didn’t realize how much of a gift they were until we moved. What this has taught me is that wherever God places you He has a plan for you and new ways to show you His gifts. It may not be the same, but it is always for a reason.
A good friend of mine once shared a word she received, and it was about a glass jar. When you fill a glass jar with water it eventually fills to the top and overflows. The water then spreads and touches everything around it. We are to be just like this jar. We are to fill ourselves up with Jesus and we do this by spending time with Him in prayer, worship, and the word. As we fill ourselves up, we will eventually overflow and then everything we touch spreads the gift of Jesus. It could be that hug we give someone at church, the cup of coffee we buy for the person behind us or the friend who reaches out to us because they need help. Every one of us is a gift of Jesus. When we are walking in our calling and our purpose, we bring that to those around us. Love on those around you, spread the gifts that God has given you, and allow those around you to speak life into your life because in the end it is really God speaking to you.
We would like to thank Kaylene Vanbebber for writing this blog post.
Women's Ministry 