1 Timothy 6:17-19

I read a devotional by AW Tozer every morning, and today he reminded me I have a right to claim all the riches of the God-head, “in mercy given.” Jesus spoke about riches. Paul warns us about riches. Their message is clear: we have got to stop equating God’s riches with things that moths and rust destroy, and things that can be lost or stolen. (Matthew 6:19-20). God’s riches are NOT financial or material in any way. They are so much more!

Jesus said in Matthew 6:21 “Where your treasure is, there your heart is also.”

This time of year the phrase, “what do you want for Christmas?” is the theme of the day. Sometimes you don’t even have to ask a person what they want. Wives buy what they want and slap their husband’s name on it. Kids don’t have to be asked. They WANT you to know. Some people have ongoing wish lists on Amazon so you get them exactly what they want.

And some people approach God with the same bravado. I want. I want. I deserve.

Dear one, we have a treasure more precious, more intimate, more personal than any beautifully wrapped gift under the Christmas tree. And sadly, it’s the gift most ignored.

Recently a house in our area sold for $30 million. One house. $30,000,000.00! What if the guy bought it with the intention of giving it to his wife for Christmas this year? We’d say that would be an extravagant gesture of love. But hear me when I say, that generous gift would be worthless when the owner steps from this life into eternity, no matter how much love was attached to it.

Worthless.

Listen to Tozer describe a gift much more generous, a truly extravagant gesture of love:

“What a blessed thought – that an infinite God can give all of Himself to each of His children! He does not distribute Himself that each may have a part, but to each one He gives ALL of Himself as fully as if there were no others.” (emphasis mine)

Can you imagine? God gives ALL of Himself to anyone who receives Him. The God of the Universe, Holy God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills and the wealth in every mine, the One who punished Himself without mercy so that I, so that you, can be forgiven. I have 100% of His love and attention 100% of the time. And so do you if you believe. I can’t explain how. But I know it’s true.

And that’s the gift that’s worth everything. That’s the only gift I will take with me when my life on earth is ended. That’s the gift that will usher me into heaven and a glorious union with God forever.

If you’ve never surrendered to God and received this incredible gift, do it. God wants to give you Himself, all the riches of the God-head wrapped up in the baby in the manger and in the perfect sacrifice on the cross for your salvation. He is the gift of light in this dark world, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and He is yours for the taking. All of Him!

Don’t let another day go buy with that unopened gift at your fingertips. Receive it. It will change your life in ways you can only imagine.

And if you are already a child of God through the blood of Jesus, check your heart. Even we can get distracted, especially this time of year. Remember where your treasure is, that’s where you heart is.

Thank you, God for the extravagant gift of Yourself! My mind can’t fathom the richness of it, but my heart accepts it with all the love I can give back to you.