"...but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel" (Luke 24:21 NIV).

Traditions are thick at Christmas. Every family has its sacred rituals and holiday activities. As I was growing up, one of my favorite traditions was presents. Receiving presents wasn't as exciting as the fact that I recieved A LOT of presents! I was blessed with two parents who have the spiritual gift of giving. Consequently, I learned a lot about what goes into giving a gift.

First, there has to be a reason, or motiviation, to give. Second, there is a hunt for the gift based on the motivation. Third, there is a price paid to purchase the gift. Fourth, the gift is given. Finally, someone receives the gift.

Psalm 103:11 says, For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him. Before He created us, God loved us. His motivation for giving the first Christmas gift ever was love, His love for us!

As soon as our intimate relationship was jeopardized by Adam and Eve in the garden, God, motivated by love, began hunting for the perfect time to give the perfect gift to humanity. He proclaimed the giving of His gift through prophets and arranged the world, through the Roman government, to receive it. Then, two thousand years ago, God looked over to Christ and said, "Son, it's time to go!" And for the first time ever, the throne at God's right hand was empty. And not only did He sacrifice the presence of His beloved Son; He then put the sin of the world on Jesus and allowed Him to suffer shame and agony on the cross. All of this was because God loved us and wanted to reconcile us to Him. He paid the ultimate price, for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son (John 3:16).

How have you received His gift? In Luke 24, two of Christ's disciples were walking the road to Emmaus when the unrecognized, resurrected Christ joined them. In despair and shock, they began to explain to Christ how He, their leader, had been crucified. Then they shared, "but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel (v. 21). Christ had taken on the form of man (Philippians 2) and suffered and died on the cross in order to pay the penalty for their sins, and all they wanted was a political leader who would overthrow Rome and reestablish Israel as a self-governing nation!

One Christmas, my wife and I hunted for hours to find the perfect Christmas sweater for her mom. We scoured the mall until our legs felt like they would fall off, carefully wrapped it in the perfect paper and excitedly gave it to her mom. When she opened the gift, another family member looked at us and asked, "Is that all you spent?" Have you done this to God? Are you still waiting for God to fix your relationships, fill your piggy-bank or make your life happier? Why would we want anything else from Him except what He has already given....ETERNITY WITH HIM?

-Rob Cupp

Thank you, Father, for the perfect gift You've given me in Christ! His is the atonement for my sins and only through Him can I have eternal life with You. I accept Christ as the most perfect, precious gift I have ever received!