The Spirit of Christmas Is Generosity
By Rick Warren
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NIV).
During this Christmas season, you’ll hear one word more than any other. It’s not “merry,” “tree,” “Santa,” or even — unfortunately — “Jesus.”
It’s “gift.” By the end of November — and sometimes even before then — we begin a frantic dash to find the right gift for everyone on our list. The word “gift” consumes us for a month.
Many people think that gift giving at Christmas was started by the Wise Men when they brought gifts to the baby Jesus. But it was God who started it all when he gave the first Christmas gift.
The Bible says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NIV). On the first Christmas, God gave the greatest gift of all — he gave his Son. He gave his Son to die on the cross so you can have a forgiven past, a purpose for living, and a home in Heaven. Jesus is the original Christmas gift.
We only give because God gave to us first.
The spirit of Christmas is the spirit of generosity. In Acts 15:11, the Bible says, “We are saved because the Master Jesus amazingly and out of sheer generosity moved to save us” (The Message).
If it weren’t for God’s generosity, we would have nothing. The air we breathe is a gift of God’s generosity. The blood coursing through our veins is a gift of God’s generosity. The fact that our hearts are beating is a gift of God’s generosity. Every good thing in your life — including your life itself — is a gift of God’s generosity.
But God’s greatest act of generosity came on the very first Christmas when he gave us Jesus.
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>
Talk It Over
How do you respond to knowing that God gave the first Christmas gift?
What are some gifts from God not mentioned in the devotional today that you are grateful for?
What can you do this Christmas to better remember God’s gifts to you?
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
Many people step into the Christmas season run down and worn out. And by the time January rolls around, they’re so exhausted that they’ve completely missed the real reason for the season.
But there’s really no better time to recalibrate your heart toward Jesus than during the holidays. And Pastor Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose of Christmas, can help you fill your Christmas with more of God’s love and peace by making Christ the center of your life.
This resource shows you . . .
• What Christmas means for your salvation
• How to surrender to God’s will
• Practical steps to overcome discouragement
• Why we celebrate Christmas at all
• How Christmas can be a time to make peace with others
The Purpose of Christmas is our way to thank you for your gift below to help more people learn, love, and live the Word – so request your copy when you give!
From all of us at Daily Hope, may you experience God’s peace and joy this holiday season!
This devotional © 2017 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
You can listen to Rick Warren on OnePlace.com.
