Have you ever played that game at Christmas when you get to take a gift from someone else in the circle? One of the many gifts that is being passed around is actually not a gag gift, but a gift of value.

I usually choose the one that is wrapped as though it is worth a million dollars. And yes, you guessed it….I unwrap it to find a roll of Christmas toilet paper. So much for the beautifully wrapped gift!

Sounds a bit like “performance based acceptance” to me.  As a Christian, you “should” be doing this and that, you should be participating in every possible thing you can at the church or ministry to “work for God” to prove how much you love Him.

Most of the time there is a precious heart involved, but not a lot of joy. Sometime a feeling a failure because you are not doing enough, or there is still so much to be done. And yet, your “work” is so beautifully wrapped up for the Father!  God has had me in Hebrews 10 for a reason of late. He is a personal God and knows when we need to be reminded of the truth.

Remember that Jesus Christ was the sacrifice, and we need not make any more to be accepted by God.  The Old Covenant was fulfilled by Christ. He is seated at the right hand of the Father now, interceding for us. When we are surrendered to Christ, and His love is inscribed on our hearts, we naturally are a part of His work….we “get to” be involved.

So if you are sitting in that circle, waiting on that perfectly wrapped gift…..Remember what you see may not really be what is inside. The plain old box with the package bow might be the one with the true gift in it….the real sacrifice.

~Be Encouraged Today~

Tammy