The Most Expensive Gift
By Doug Bing, Washington Conference president
Children of the ultra-wealthy were posting on social media about all the things they were getting for Christmas.
One photo featured a young man with a very expensive sports car with the door wide open and lots of cash spilling out of the car. Others featured expensive clothes, cars or vacation spots. They were bragging about all of the wealth and how it had been spent on them.
It was interesting and sad to see.
Of course, there is nothing wrong with money or having lots of it. I was reminded, however, of Psalm 49:6-8 — “Those who trust in their wealth and boast in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him, for the redemption of their souls is costly. . .”
The most expensive and ultimate gift comes from heaven!
When we think of the birth of Christ it would do well for us to remember that the wealth of the million worlds was His, the power of all the rulers in the world was His, and the glory and praise of countless angels was His.
Yet he was able to ransom the world by coming as a baby, born in a barn, laid in a feed trough and wrapped in strips of cloth. He was able to ransom the world by living on this tiny speck in His universe without a permanent home and ultimately dying on a piece of wood of his own creation. The redemption of all of our souls was costly. Yet God did it for us because He simply loved us and wanted to give everything He had for His creation.
I encourage you to take the time this Christmas to read the story of the most special birth ever. Reflect on the words of Luke 2:10-12 — “Then the angel said to them, Do not be afraid, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For this is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign to you; You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”