Investing in the Future: The Christmas Gift That Keeps On Giving

God’s Ultimate Christmas Gift

The book of James tells us that “ Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17 NIV).

At Christmas time we celebrate God’s ultimate gift, the gift of a Saviour, the gift that no one can afford, no one can earn, and no one but God can give.

The shepherds in the fields of Bethlehem were told by the angel: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11 ESV).

Salvation Is a Person

Jesus was given to save us from sin, self, sickness, and Satan; from death, disease, degradation and destruction.

God’s gift of salvation is not a package, it is not a gift card, or a new gizmo: salvation is a person.

Jesus provided a plan for salvation and died to overcome the barrier between humans and God. Jesus gives the gift of eternal life to those who believe in him (Romans 6:23). It is through him that we and all creation may be redeemed and renewed.

God Gave His Very Best

John 3:16 declares: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (ESV).

Though we did not honour God as we should, in his unbounded generosity, he gave his very best and most valuable, the only thing he had only one of – his Son.

No amount of money on planet Earth could ever purchase a gift that can measure up to the value of the very first Christmas gift.

In 2 Corinthians 9:15, the apostle Paul appraises it as “unspeakable” (KJV), “indescribable” (NIV), “inexpressible” (ESV), and “too wonderful for words” (NLT).

God’s Supreme Investment in Our Future

In a real sense, the incarnation may be seen as God’s supreme investment in our future.

Christmas gifts we received several years ago have now become obsolete, but Jesus is always current. He is always new, and he never changes. He is the same today to those who trust him as Saviour as he was to those who trusted Him 2,000 years ago!

The gift of Jesus continues to be given thousands of years later.

God’s Christmas gift was a gift that keeps on giving, a gift that lasts forever – unsolicited, unlimited, unchanging, and undeserved.

The Unclaimed Gift

Sadly, however, it is as yet unclaimed by so many. Christmas is actually about a gift that few really seek after, but which everyone desperately needs. To multiplied millions, Jesus Christ is still a stranger.

How sad to imagine that after sacrifice and expense, some gift is unclaimed, some package is unopened! Yet the greatest gift of all, God’s Christmas gift, Jesus Christ, has not yet been received by millions!

The Saviour, and the salvation appropriated through relationship with him, is ignored or rejected. How sad!

My conviction is that we can never really enjoy Christmas until we can look up into the Father’s face and tell him we have received his Christmas gift:

O what a gift, what a wonderful gift,
Who can tell the wonders of the Lord?
Let us open our eyes, our ears and our hearts,
It is Christ our Lord, it is He.

Our Gift: An Investment in Creation Care

We can emulate in microcosm what God did at Christmas. We also can render a gift that is an investment in the future good and well-being of both the human and non-human creation alike.

That gift is a personal commitment to become actively involved in creation care.

Salvation is, in essence, creation healed – all of it.

So as we carry out that resolve, we are contributing to God’s stated agenda of making “all things new” (Revelation 21:5).

The New Creation: Past, Present and Future

The new creation commenced in the past with the resurrection of Jesus, continues in the present as we bring hope and healing to both people and nature, and will culminate in the future as God completes the promised “new heavens and new earth” (Revelation 21:1).

A Duty Owed to Future Generations

The duty to preserve and protect the environment is a duty that is owed not merely to all other human beings, non-human beings, and inanimate objects in present time but extends also to future generations.

Fairness to future generations relies on the fundamental norm of equality among generations of the human species in relation to the care and use of the natural system.

We have a right to use and enjoy the system but no right to destroy its robustness and integrity for those who come after us.

A Gift That Keeps On Giving

We have an important role as environmental stewards to ensure the future wellbeing of land and people. This requires us to look after them today, think broadly and look ahead.

Your participation in intentionally looking after what God has made will be a gift that keeps on giving, blessing both you as the giver and those who benefit from your endeavours.

It will bequeath to those who follow us – our children and grandchildren – a much healthier planet than the one now being so rapidly degraded, and a much more pleasant existence than they are currently destined to face.

Isn’t that an investment worth making?

Further reading