Matthew 2:11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.

Today around the world children are replicating the first Christmas in opening their gifts. As with the baby Jesus, children have no expectation of the gifts given. A baby has no hope in this day. In years to come, as they grow and realize the significance of the Christmas there may very well be an expectation of hope born of desire.

Soon those hopes are either met or disappointed. The relationship between the giver and receiver becomes more and more complex. No parent wants to disappoint the children they love. The children have no idea about the complexities of parental responsibilities. Budgets and bills and debts are not the purview of children.

Somewhere in maturity a sense of giving is born. It is not enough to receive. We eventually turn into the gift giver, even if we do not yet have children. A hope and expectation of having the gift fill a heart with gladness becomes part of this new experience.

What is the better hope in gifting?

Luke 2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Is there a better hope for this world other than peace and good will towards each other? If you think there is then I suspect that hope would be selfish and immature.

Christ came into this world to deliver peace and good will towards us all. That gift, once again, must be received to be realized. A gift unopened is still a mystery. Unlike those Christmas gifts under the tree, the contents of His gift is well known, well documented and holds the promise of that hope for a peaceful and better life.

Luke 2:16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

After the shepherds heard the angel pronounce the coming of their Savior, they came with haste, a sense of urgency, to meet the Christ child. I believe there was something within their lives that created that sense of urgency. They couldn’t wait to come to Christ.

How many times have you heard the offer of salvation thru faith in Christ and put off accepting Him into your heart? Is it that you do not feel a sense of urgency? Do you believe that you are safe? Do you not believe in the hereafter? Do you think this life is all there is that exists?

If you believe that the offer of salvation is only about eternal life then you miss the larger point. Those shepherds wanted a salvation from the current life they lived, not an eternal life. Their view of a savior was one of deliverance from oppression, pain, and rulers who were cruel and violent.

Salvation begins at the very moment of acceptance by faith of Christ as Lord of your life. Your new like begins in that very moment and does not put itself off until you die.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

It is not that the world changes and becomes new, it is that you change and become new. Perhaps a lack of urgency in that area is because you love your life and see no need to give it up.

1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Open your eyes and see the world for what it really is these days and tell me you do not hope for more than that.