Listen Now
Do you like receiving a gift? I know I do. In a healthy relationship gifts are given and gifts are received. Gifts are an expression of love without strings attached. Even though gift cards have become popular to give, a gift card can’t say, “I bought this for just for you” or “While I was making this, I was thinking of you.”
God loves to give us gifts too. And when He gives us gifts, we are definitely on His mind. God’s gifts may be talents you have, or even your purpose or destiny. His gifts certainly center around life: this beautiful earth, sunrises and sunsets, friends and pets, trees and oceans, music and colors, poetry and love.
And sometimes God’s gift comes in the package of a tiny baby. Jesus came to us as a baby, and we celebrate His birth at this time of year. But even though He was a precious child and a good boy, when Mary was presenting Him for dedication at the Temple, the prophet told her that this innocent child would pierce her heart.
How could something or Someone so good cause pain?
Jesus was a bubbly baby, and like any mother, Mary cuddled and cooed over him. He grew up a normal boy, with a childhood like that of any child. But Jesus’ entire mission on earth was to go to the cross for us.
That was the pain that pierced Mary’s heart. No mother can bear the sight of her child being mistreated or tortured. Jesus had done nothing to deserve such treatment. The emotional pain for Mary must have been crushing.
This gift of baby Jesus gave Mary wonderful moments, but there were three unbearable days when Jesus, her wonderful gift, focused on His mission and went to the cross to take our punishment for sin. He did it for the good of all mankind, though it meant physical and spiritual agony for not only Him but also those who loved Him.
We all experience difficult and painful events in life. You’ll read about one of those in this issue. Victor Velez and his wife received a wonderful gift — their son, Jacob. The pain came when they discovered their son was autistic. But through Jacob, they have learned more than they could have imagined. They still see Jacob as a gift.
Not everything in life is fun. But everything in life can bring us closer to each other and to our God who loves us. Life is a gift. Seeing, smelling, and hearing is a gift. Creating music or art is a gift. Cooking is a gift. Being loved is a gift. Growing through tragedy is also a gift.
Crystal Wacker
Editor-in-Chief
Reach UP Magazine
