John 1:16
Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace grace already given.
I can still picture the scene in our house on Christmas Day 2004. Our eldest daughter’s first Christmas and she was the first grandchild in the family. It was basically a complete wall of presents, at least 30, 40, gifts with her name on. Some thankfully small, others were large boxes containing chunky plastic baby play-gyms, ride-ons and probably about 20 cuddly toys in the Everest-like mountain that propped up the wall of the front room.
Fourteen years and two more children later, it’s now much more of a measured affair for everyone in the family!
Whether you’re hoping for a pile of presents on Christmas Day or just looking forward to who you’ll be with, John reminds us that in Jesus there is the promise of not just one gift but as (the late, great) Eugene Peterson paraphrases it here:
“gift after gift after gift”
Jesus really is the gift that keeps on giving.
And how can Jesus do that? Because He’s full. Full of God, full of love, forgiveness, hope and power. As a fisherman, John describes Jesus’ fullness in the same way that you cram a boat with sailors, equipment, food, maps and everything you might possibly need at sea.
PROMPT: When was the last time someone gave you a present? I bet it wasn’t just for a birthday or last Christmas! Did you receive it well? Did you say thank you properly?
What gifts have you received this week from Jesus? What gifts are you hoping for from Him? Don’t wait until the 25th to unwrap them, hold out your heart and receive them right now...