God’s Gift That Keeps on Giving

Many years ago my wife gave me a simple gift, a letter opener. It was a one-time gift, yet it continues to serve me faithfully to this day. It not only has opened thousands of letters, but also has helped me by weighing countless letters to see if they need more postage! You see, it is designed so that if you put a letter in the slot on the handle’s end, the knife “tips” that direction if the letter is over one ounce and needs more postage. If it does not tip, then the single stamp is sufficient. Wow! Talk about a gift that keeps on giving—this one certainly fits the description. Every time I use it, I am thankful to my wife for giving me this unique item.
Around 2,000 years ago, God gave us a unique gift also. This once-in-a-history gift is like no other! It was the gift of His Son to be our Savior. Each year we celebrate the giving of this gift in our churches, nations, families, and as individuals in our hearts. We decorate our homes, and we give and receive gifts as symbols of that one “totally special” gift.
Similar to my letter opener, God’s gift was not intended for a one-time use. It was meant to be there for our use every moment of our lives and even into eternity. The Son of God, Jesus Christ, is there continually as a multipurpose gift that is much more useful than the one I received.
Perhaps you remember a time you were hurting because of a problem in a relationship? You hurt inwardly and cried a lot; then did you turn to Jesus and ask for His help?
Do you remember your shock when someone you loved deeply was suddenly, unexpectedly taken from this world? Do you remember the countless tears? Hopefully, you also had an assurance of their salvation through Jesus. Yet the hurt inside continued for a long time, didn’t it? How many, many times with this sadness did you not reach out and grab Jesus as your anchor?
What happened when you suffered a disaster such as a storm, a loss of job, a loss of investments, etc.? Again you hurt inside and went through a period of shock, disbelief, and anger. And then you turned to your friend Jesus for comfort and help, didn’t you?
Perhaps there have been sad times when you realized that you had once again sinned against God and His holy Law, even though you had promised both yourself and Him that you would never do that thing again! The shame became overwhelming, the tears both of regret and of repentance flowed. And there you were, reaching out to that “gift”—that Savior—as knowledge of His forgiveness was proclaimed to you in God’s Word. Thoughts flashed through your mind of your unworthiness, of His holiness, of His suffering and death that He willingly endured to give you this forgiveness. Then, to have this sorrow later turn to overwhelming joy as you worship and praise Jesus with your fellow believers.
Yet God’s gift is not finished. When our last moment approaches and an uneasiness of the unknown fills us, Jesus is there to comfort us and to stay by our side as we travel through that valley of death. Then as we enter His visible presence, He fills us with joy, peace, and love beyond our human understanding.
I cherish the simple gift my wife gave me and use it daily. Make sure you thank God for His precious “Gift that keeps on giving”—Jesus Christ your Savior—and use this gift continually, remembering to share your gift with others also.
Pastor Dennis Schmidt is a retired ELS pastor living in Monticello, Minnesota.