Matthew 2 tells us that wise men came all the way to Bethlehem to worship Jesus and give Him gifts. That got me to thinking, what can we give Jesus?
Some might argue that we can’t give Jesus anything because we are sinful humans who rely on Him for everything. But I think there are at least a few things we can give Him.
1) Our Time
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. – James 4:8a
Relationships are built when we spend time with one another. In this aspect, our relationship with Jesus is no different. Not only do we need to spend time with Him, He wants to spend time with us. Making a conscious effort to put aside time to read your Bible, pray, and worship Him is a precious gift not only to Him but to us. We’ll grow in our faith and become closer to Him.
What can you move around in your schedule to prioritize time with God?
2) Our Service
As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. – 1 Peter 4:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. – Ephesians 2:10
We often focus on what Jesus can do for us and never consider what we can do for Him. Now, nothing we do could ever repay Him. But living our lives in service to Him is not only the least we can do, it’s also Christ’s desire. God gave us each talents and strengths that we can use for His glory.
What’s something you can do for Christ today?
3) Our Heart
Jeremiah 29:13 says, And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Jesus wants all of us. Not just a part of us. Or most of us. All of us. When everything we do, everything we say is for the glory of God, that’s a great gift.
But the best gift? The best gift is us. The Bible says that God loved the world so much, He gave us Jesus (John 3:16). He did that to pay a sin debt we couldn’t afford because He wanted us to be in heaven with Him. The best gift we can give in return is ourselves. To accept this gift of salvation and serve God with a willing heart. It doesn’t require perfection. In fact, we can’t be perfect. That’s why we needed Jesus in the first place. All God asks is that we seek Him with our whole heart. That we confess our sins (1 John 1:9). That we realize we need Him.
God wants a personal relationship with us.
Why else would He walk in the Garden of Eden if He didn’t want to be close to Adam and Eve? Why else would He send His Son to die on a cross if He didn’t want to be close to us?
So this Christmas, let’s give ourselves completely over to God. Every thought, every action, every moment for His glory and honor. It won’t be easy. But it will be worth it.
