As I stated on Week 1, Christmas is often a time to be “frazzled”. I have experienced the crush of mall shoppers, bustling by me to find that perfect gift for that special someone. A recent poll indicated that the average person will spend close to $1500.00 this Christmas! That’s a lot of wrapping up of gifts!
We all have someone that it is especially hard to find that “perfect” gift for. My husband is one of the most difficult people to shop for. He doesn’t really need anything, and he has a shop full of every known power tool known to man, so giving him the latest wrench is redundant at best. The awesome thing about my husband is that he is thankful for everything! If the kids buy him a tacky tie from the dollar store, he’ll smile and laugh and his heart will swell because his kids bought him a gift…any kind of gift. His greatest joy at Christmas is having his family around him, his adult children and grandbabies curled up with him on the couch on Christmas Eve while he reads the Christmas Story. My husband would rather lavish his love on the ones he loves most dear, than focus on what he’ll get as a gift for Christmas.
God’s greatest gift to us was His Son. We can never repay Him for that Gift. It is freely given and must be freely received. As you read today’s scripture, ponder on how much the Father “spent” on our behalf.
Ephesians 1:4a. “It is written” – I am chosen in Him.
Ephesians 1:4b. “It is written” – I am holy and blameless in His sight.
Ephesians 1:5. “It is written” – I am adopted as His son through Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 1:6. “It is written” – I am accepted in the Beloved.
Ephesians 1:7. “It is written” – I have redemption and forgiveness.
Ephesians 1:11. “It is written” – I have obtained an inheritance.
Ephesians 1:13. “It is written” – I have been sealed in Him with the promised Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 2:4. “It is written” – I am loved by God.
Ephesians 2:5. “It is written” – I have been made alive together with Christ.
Ephesians 2:6. “It is written” – I have been raised up with Him and seated with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:8. “It is written” – I am saved by grace through faith.
Ephesians 2:10. “It is written” – I am His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works.
Ephesians 2:13. “It is written” – I have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Ephesians 2:14. “It is written” – Christ is my peace.
Ephesians 2:18. “It is written” – through Christ, I have access in one spirit to the Father.
Ephesians 2:19. “It is written” – I am no longer a stranger and alien, but I am a fellow citizen with the saints.
Ephesians 3:6. “It is written” – I am a fellow heir and fellow member of the body.
Ephesians 3:6b. “It is written” – I am a fellow partaker of the promise of Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 3:12. “It is written” – in Christ and through faith in Him, we have boldness and confident access to God.
Ephesians 3:16 “It is written” – I am strengthened with power through His Spirit in my inner man.
Ephesians 3:17. “It is written” – I am rooted and grounded in Christ’s love.
Ephesians 4:7. “It is written” – I have been given grace.
Ephesians 4:24. “It is written” – I have a new self which, in the likeness of God, has been created in righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 4:32. “It is written” – I have been forgiven.
Philippians 1:6. “It is written” – I am confident that He who began a good work in me will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:11. “It is written” – I am filled with the fruit of righteousness through Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:21. “It is written” – for me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Philippians 2:13. “It is written” – God is at work within me both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
Philippians 2:15. “It is written” – I shine like a star in the universe.
Philippians 4:7. “It is written” – the peace of God guards my heart and mind.
Philippians 4:13. “It is written” – I can do all things through Him Who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:19. “It is written” – God shall supply all my needs, according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Colossians 1:12. “It is written” – the Father has qualified me to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
Colossians 1:13. “It is written” – I have been delivered from the dominion of darkness and transferred to the kingdom of his beloved Son.
Colossians 1:14. “It is written” – I have redemption and forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:27. “It is written” – Christ is in me.
Colossians 2:10. “It is written” – in Christ, I have been made complete.
Colossians 2:12a. “It is written” – I have been buried with Him in baptism.
Colossians 2:12b. “It is written” – I had been raised up with Him through faith.
Colossians 2:13. “It is written” – I had been made alive together with Him.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
Lynn Dove's Journey Thoughts 