I had a favourite aunt in my youth; however, she disappointed me every Christmas. Three plain white handkerchiefs was her idea of an acceptable present for a young nephew! My mother’s annual rebuke to me was, ‘It’s the thought that counts’, which never helped me overcome my disappointment.

The Bible makes it clear that God’s thoughts are continually positive towards us:

‘Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your THOUGHTS toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered’, Psalm 40 verse 5.

‘For I know the THOUGHTS that I think toward you, says the Lord, THOUGHTS of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope’, Jeremiah chapter 29 verse 11.

Nowhere is the truth of these verses displayed more powerfully than in the Christmas story. God’s THOUGHTS toward us, led to a gift that we never deserved. Our sin had alienated us from Him; nevertheless, His thoughts toward us were gracious and led to His GIFT which, in the words of Jeremiah, give us ‘a future and a hope’!

THE BIBLE TELLS US ABOUT THIS GIFT:

‘For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the GIFT of God’, Ephesians chapter 2 verse 8.

‘the GIFT of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord’, Romans chapter 6 verse 23.

THE GIFT IS A PERSON, JESUS CHRIST:

‘the Son of God, who loved me and GAVE Himself for me’, Galatians chapter 2 verse 20.

‘who GAVE Himself for our sins’, Galatians chapter 1 verse 4.

OUR RESPONSE OUGHT TO BE:

‘Thanks be unto God for His indescribable GIFT’, 2 Corinthians chapter 9 verse 15.

Did you know God thinks of you? More can be found in God’s Word, the Bible, and we can send you one if you wish. We will pray for you. Come back again for another Message of Hope.