Christmas shopping on December 19th is filled with surprises. Often unpleasant ones. But NOT today. Today I had an experience so positive it made me reflect on the true reason for Christmas celebrations. I am thankful for grace.
A Prelude to the Grace of Christmas
I had come up empty-handed at the first store, and the second in my search for small surprise gifts. Overheated from my warm coat, I am sure that I looked as wilted as I felt.
Summoning up all my energy I dragged myself into the third store.
The store where everything changed.
I meandered through the aisles picking up gifts. So many gifts the associate relieved my over-filled arms by taking the items to the counter.
Because of my success, I no longer felt wilted, or overheated!
Unexpected Grace
When I finally checked out, because I selected the wrong model, one gift was over my price limit. Jekell, sales associate extraordinaire, without being asked, took off in a mission to find the advertised item.
Her search started with the computer database and ended with her climbing a very tall vertical ladder.
I wish that I had taken a picture. But honestly, I was afraid to look after my first glimpse of her racing up to the storage area.
Although the ladder probably wasn’t this steep, this is how it looked in my imagination:
A few moments later, she triumphantly returned. The gift was even better than the one I had originally found!
I was thankful and surprised. Earlier, when I entered the store, my face drooped wearily but now it stretched wide in a smile.
During the busy Christmas shopping season, Jekell had cheerfully spent time and energy doing something that I had not or would never have asked her to do. Above all her goal was to help me.
But I know I did not deserve all the effort. I had never shopped in that store before. My purchases were not expensive.
Grace infused this young woman’s action.
It was this grace that made my thoughts go to why I celebrate Christmas, not the store’s beautiful decorations. I am thankful for that grace.
I am Thankful for the Grace We See at Christmas
Believers celebrate the birth of Jesus.
His birth heralded in the physical beginning of a plan for salvation that began long ago.
”For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.“
2 Timothy 1:9 New Living Translation (NLT)
The Good News of Grace
God’s plan is rooted in love and culminates in a gift being given by grace. The grace is of such magnitude that it is difficult to comprehend.
The infant born in the stable, laid in the manager would grow to be our savior. Who takes away our sins. Who fulfilled the law that we never could. Once – and – for – all.
When we believe it is not because of anything that we did.
It is not because we were in a good place.
Or that we have everything figured out,
We are not better people than anyone else.
It’s just because we come to the place that we realize we need a savior.
And we accept the gift.
It is all grace. Unmerited and freely given to anyone who believes.
A grace that is available to anyone. And a gift that makes an eternal difference.
I am thankful for God’s grace!
Do you have any questions? Just leave them in the comments section.
Here is another post about Christmas that I think you would enjoy.
Photo Credits in order of pictures: Andres Siimon on Unsplash on Unsplash and Greg Weaver on Unsplash