The quest for the perfect gift...how fun!  A couple of weeks ago I went Christmas shopping with my daughter, Makenzie, and I was reminded why they put benches in the middle of the mall. After the second or third store my back and legs were aching and I was asking Makenzie to let me off the hook while she shopped til she dropped.

Really, I love it that she thinks so much about getting just the right gift for the people in her life. Though she is on a limited budget, Makenzie is willing to spend her money to buy gifts that fit. She kept asking me "Which one do you think they would like the best, Dad? This one, or that one?" I tried to help, but in most cases, I had no idea.

OK, so I stink at shopping.

But, I have found the perfect gift. I mean the best gift ever.  It is the gift that God has given to us in His Son, Jesus Christ. It is the gift of salvation. It is the gift of eternal life (Romans 3:23).

James says "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom  there is no variation or shadow of turning." (James 1:17) In this age of ever-upgrading technology it is good to remember that the very best gifts do not have screens or buttons, nor do they require batteries. And what's more, they are free.

The gifts that God gives are the best. I took a moment this morning to jot down why the gift of eternal life given to us by God is truly perfect:

• It is not based on our merit or performance - i.e. whether we've been "naughty or nice" as with Santa. "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works..." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
• It is given out of pure love. "For God so loved the world that He gave..." John 3:16)
• It fits everyone, everywhere, at all times. "For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the LORD shall be saved." Romans 10:13)
• It will NEVER break, expire, or go out of style.
• Its value to you only increases with time as you explore its meaning.
• There is no upgrade, nor will there ever be a need for an upgrade.
• You can take it with you when you die.

The perfect gift.

Thank You, Father, for the eternal relationship with You available to us through the Lord Jesus. In His Name, Amen.

Merry Christmas,

Dave