Have you ever received a gift that you were hesitant to open? Would it be something that would jump out at you? Was it tied with obligations? Would it make you feel guilty or uncomfortable? "An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.'" (Luke 2:9, 10).

The Lord gives us gifts, but too often we are afraid to open them. Maybe living with chronic illness has made us less likely to take risks. Perhaps we feel a bit resentful that the last time we opened what we thought was a gift, it was a gag gift. We turn to God when we are hurting and feeling despair. Yet when we pick up the Bible we read, "But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed," (1 Peter 4:13). That isn't the kind of gift we're looking for!

Our heart feels like that present has "white elephant" written all over it. All of you, the Rest Ministries family, have generously overwhelmed us with gifts for our Project Christmas Hope. For the next two days I will be wrapping dozens of gifts and getting them loaded up to send to five families that you all have provided Christmas for this year. Despite your own financial struggles, you have responded with joy and shared whatever gifts

God has given you! One of the women who's family we are assisting shared with me that she and her husband live week to week wondering how they will provide for their family. Since she had to stop working this summer, and her husband and son also have chronic illnesses, their lives had been severely impacted by their circumstances. She also shared with me, however, that although it was difficult to accept help, when they had always been on the giving end, that it was such joy to be able to receive and be a part of people's care and concern.

This is how it is sometimes with illness. This is how it is sometimes with our Lord. The Lord surrounds us and yet we look to him terrified. Lord, what are you doing with my life? How can you make sense of all of this? How are you going to fix this and make it all better again. I don't want this package! I'm sending it back! But if we listen closely, we will hear the angels around us. Don't be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy...
We have a Savoir. We have a Lord. We have a God in our lives who is the King of Kings. No bad news or bills marked "passed due" will change that.

Being snowed in for a few days, losing your keys, nor having your computer crash will change the good news that God came to earth as a child, to be our Savior. Getting the flu, arguing with your family, the absence of Christmas presents, nor feeling like no one understands your pain, will change that God loves you and that He is the great news of good joy.
For some, Christmas joy will be obvious. For others of us, we must search for it. Our initial response to God's reached out hand may be fear. Should I trust? Should I open the box? Yes! Because without His reaching back out to Him His delivery of Great Joy will be marked "returned to sender" and He will grieve that we were to afraid to open His gift.

Merry Christmas.
Open your gift!

By Lisa Copen. Reprinted from And He Will Give You Rest, Dec. 2000, Rest Ministries monthly support newsletter, Copyright 2002.