Living sacrifice

https://odb.org/2023/12/07/giving-like-christ

Continuing on the Christmas theme of generosity, one of the distinctiveness of Christmas is the giving of gifts. We can trace this tradition to the Magi – the 3 kings of orient land – who travelled from afar following a star bringing gold, incense, and myrrh (symbolising kingship, deity, and death) to baby Jesus in Bethlehem. The birth of Jesus foretold years ago to virgin Mary is God’s ultimate sacrifice and gift for the world so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Giving of gifts denotes a measure of sacrifice by the giver as the 1905 Christmas story of The Gift of the Magi goes. O. Henry penned a story of an impoverished wife selling her beautiful hair to buy her beloved husband a gold chain for his pocket watch and the husband selling his pocket watch to buy his beloved wife a set of combs for her beautiful hair. It was a great sacrifice by the couple for each other, but unfortunately, it was mismatched. As much as it was touching, it was also sad, particularly so when they didn’t have much to begin with.

In Romans 12:1, Paul exhorted us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God as our true and proper worship. Paul then continues in Verse 2 that we do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds so that we may test and approve the good, pleasing and perfect will of God. To live our lives as a living sacrifice that does not conform to the pattern of this world is our rightful gift to God in view of His mercy and grace. We offer all we have although He deserves more as the song Alabaster Jar goes.

This Christmas season, let’s spend some time to ponder on how we have been a living sacrifice for God and how we may get better at this as the days go by. Our time to live for God is limited – we will not live forever on this present earth. We may have the gift of eternal life, but how we live on this earth will determine how we will live in eternity. Remember, Jesus taught us to store up our treasures in heaven. Following the Christmas tradition, perhaps we could consider giving sacrificial and meaningful gifts to our loved ones this Christmas that will reflect our generosity in God.