John 3:16

It did not take long to find my target. I put a missile in the barrel, pulled back the spring and locked in with the scope. There was no way that I could miss. “… three, two, one; Fire!” You can get in trouble so easily some days, and that Christmas was one of those days. A neighbor was there, and she was bending under the tree to pick up a present; and I didn’t miss. That was the Christmas that Santa gave, and Dad took away (for a short while, but his mercy gave it back).

By the time we understood the cost of sin it was too late. We were in it deeper than we could have imagined, and we had no way out. We needed mercy and grace. “The wage of sin is death,” and there is nothing that we can do about it. All our good works would be like trying to pay off a large debt with a pile of filthy rags. Only the mercy of God could save us.

That is why Christmas should be celebrated with the greatest of joy. The only Savior who can help us has come to earth with mercy. He comes to make his blessings known as far as the curse of sin is found. Gabriel said, “His name shall be called Jesus, because he will save his people from their sin.”

The wages of sin may be death, but we have been given the Big GIFT. “The gift of God is eternal life.” All that is required of us is that we accept the gift that was wrapped in swaddling clothes. Receive him with a cheerful heart, and do not say to God, “You shouldn’t have,” but rejoice and be exceedingly glad: “For God so loved the world that he gave…”