It’s that time of year again – time to create wish lists for Santa. I don’t actually do this anymore, but as a young child you can be sure I put a lot of thought and effort into compiling a list of items I desired so that I would be prepared for my yearly meeting with Santa. I didn’t expect to receive every toy on my list, but I felt Santa needed some guidance in order to know the wishes of my heart. I never received all of the items on my wish list, BUT I always received toys, books, games, clothes etc. that I hadn’t thought to ask for, which nevertheless showed up under the Christmas tree anyway on Christmas morning. As it turns out, I enjoyed my surprise gifts as much or more than my requested gifts. Santa proved to be smarter and to know me better than I ever gave him credit for.

I have to admit though, my wish lists over the years haven’t been only for Santa Clause. My prayer life is often filled with “wish lists” for my Heavenly Father. Of course, He is wise enough not to give me everything I ask Him for, and He gives me many surprise gifts that I did not even think to ask Him for. It seems with my Heavenly Father, I ask too little, not too much. After all,

“He is able to do immeasurably more than all I ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within me,” (Ephesians 3:20)

And I never have to worry about what kind of gifts God will give me. I already know –

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)

God gives only good and perfect gifts. He is the ultimate gift giver. As my Heavenly Father, He knows me perfectly inside and out. He knows what I need and what is best for me. That’s why He is the ultimate gift giver, always giving the perfect gift.

As a giver of gifts myself, especially at Christmas time, I am always searching for that perfect gift for each person on my list. It can be an agonizing task, as I always second guess myself and wonder if the recipient of my gift will like it or not. It is fitting that I find myself pondering gift giving and gifts at this Advent time of year. Jesus was God’s ultimate “good and perfect gift” to humankind on that first Christmas. With the gift of His Son, God set the gift giving bar pretty high. There’s been no gift since as life altering as God’s gift of His Son.

“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)

A gift that rescues me from death and gives me eternal life – that’s a life changing, life giving, good and perfect gift!

But Jesus wasn’t God’s first life altering gift. I am reminded of Abraham’s encounter with God when God told Abraham this –

“After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, ‘Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.’ ” (Genesis 15:1)

God Himself was Abraham’s reward or gift, “an exceeding great reward” to be exact. God’s Presence is the reward, always. It is not the things that I want God to give me. It is God’s Presence abiding with me that is the gift – the ultimate gift – the perfect gift – a gift that never runs out, wears out, gets broken, becomes outdated, is the wrong size, style or color, is useless or unwanted. No God’s presence is a gift that always fits perfectly and fills all the longings of my heart that I didn’t even know existed. God’s presence brings His peace, His comfort, His hope, His mercies, His joy, His provision, His protection, His guidance and wisdom and so much more. It is an infinite list because He is an infinite God. His Presence is a never-ending gift from a never-ending God.

God’s presence was with Adam and Eve in the garden, where God walked with them until their sin caused a separation, forcing them to leave the garden. Even so, God did not give up on relationship with us, we who are created in His image. He came to Abraham and called him out, saying –

“Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1)

God’s Presence went with Abraham on the journey. Likewise, God was present with His people, the Israelites, while they wandered in the desert and Moses refused to continue that journey without God’s presence.

“Then Moses said to Him (the Lord), ‘If Your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that You are pleased with me and with Your people unless You go with us? What else will distinguish me and Your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?’ ” (Genesis 33:15-16)

What else indeed? It is God’s Presence that distinguishes His people, even today. Jesus knew this. Jesus said this to His disciples shortly before He was to leave earth and return to His place at the right hand of the Father.

“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see Me anymore, but you will see Me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you.” (John 14:16-20)

That’s the gift of God’s Presence! Jesus is promising His disciples the gift of His Holy Spirit after He leaves. Jesus reaffirmed this again saying –

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

This sounds so familiar. Why? Perhaps it’s because Moses spoke similar words to Joshua about God’s Presence, saying-

“”Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their forefathers to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:7-8)

God’s all important, all sustaining, all sufficient Presence has been with us from the beginning. He was in creation and in the garden. He was there in the flood, in the desert, in the furnace, in the lion’s den, in the burning bush, in the parting sea, on the mountain top, in the valley, at the cross, at Pentecost. God’s gift to us is Himself – over and over and over again. He is our very great reward! Yours and mine.

As I enter again into another season of Advent, I am reminded all over again that this is the message of Christmas. Christ came, God’s gift to you and to me. Jesus came to give me and you the gift of Himself, born to die in my place and in your place, then gift me and you His Holy Spirit Presence, so that you and I will never be alone. God’s Holy Spirit carries out His promise to us that He will never leave us nor forsake us.

God’s good and perfect gift is the giving of Himself – “I am your very great reward.” God’s Presence with me – that’s what I’m celebrating this Advent season.

“The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

God wants to be with me and with you, dear readers. I find that kind of astonishing really. But His word confirms this, so I know it is true. From the very beginning, our Creator has desired to have relationship with us. He created us in His image for this purpose. To this end, He gave us the gift of His Son, Jesus, whose birth we are preparing now to celebrate once again.

As I prepare to celebrate Christ’s first Advent, God is preparing me even now for His second Advent yet to come. And like the first Christmas, the second Advent, too, is all about the gift of God’s Presence – the gift of Himself.

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, . . . Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:1 & 3-4)

God’s Presence is His gift to me, my very great reward. Am I prepared to receive His gift this Advent season? Have I prepared a place for Him to enter in?

“Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is He, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty – He is the King of glory.” (Psalm 24:7-10)

sincerely, Grace Day