The packaging of your life

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The Christmas season is upon us once again, and I would like to wish you a blessed holiday, full of all the joy and wonder that accompanies this time of year.

If you are like me, you probably spend at least some time during the holidays reflecting on the significance of the season. What ideas come to mind as you consider Christmas? Memorable gatherings with family and loved ones, perhaps? Christmas caroling, presents around a beautifully decorated tree, long awaited festivities and the delicious smells and tastes familiar to the time of year?

There is a wealth of things that represent the season. As Christians we think of the Luke 2 account, with the shepherds, the wise men from the East, the lowly stable and manger. We remember that “Immanuel” — God with us — was born because God so loved us that He came to dwell among us, taking on the form of a man so that we might be able to touch Him, hear Him, see Him and know Him. All of these things entail Christmas; it is true. But I want to offer a different aspect of Christmas for you to consider.

As you prepare gifts for those who are special in your life, and as you open gifts, think about the wrapping. What is on the inside of a box can rarely be detected by concentrating on the wrapping. In fact, wrapping is designed to cover a gift and make it presentable for the receiver. So it was with the Christ. He was wrapped up in human flesh so that we might receive Him. However, disguised by His gentle nature and humble appearance, most failed to recognize that God was within and so, because men concentrated on the “wrapping,” they missed the value of God’s greatest gift. And that’s how we all are. We more often than not fail to see the value of people who are “wrapped” up in flesh that we consider unattractive or different than us. Or, how often do we fail to see the opportune times that we can let our light shine, just because those opportunities are “wrapped up” in the disguise of a frustrating circumstance or an inconvenience?

I encourage you to get past the wrapping and reach out to others in a way that communicates to them the truth of Christmas. Don’t forget, God has chosen to wrap Himself up in you, 1 Corinthians 6:19 “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God.” Now that you have become His temple, Galatians 2:20 says it this way: “…it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me…”

Just like the beautifully wrapped gifts that sit beneath decorated trees in homes worldwide, so the power and salvation of God has been placed inside the packaging of your life. He desires to use you and your relationships with people so that He can impact lives with His love.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Cristi Preda is the spiritual leader of Christ Alive Church in East Meadow