O Come, Let Us Adore Him

Savoring Gifts

I will give thanks to You, LORD, with all my heart. — Psalm 9:1

There’s nothing like Christmas morning for children. They wriggle through breakfast, stealing glances at the bright packages underneath the tree. Their anticipation is contagious.

When you hand children gifts, they eagerly tear off the wrapping paper, throwing it aside. Are the gifts what they were hoping for? Squeals of excitement soon pierce your ears as they jump up and down! But then most children do something adults are guilty of too — they quickly move on to the next gift. Sure, they begged all year for the gift, but they’re distracted by the promise of more.

When it comes to prayer and gratitude, does this sound familiar? We may beg God for something — and when we receive it, we’re as ecstatic as children on Christmas morning. But our attention almost immediately shifts to something else. We barely give ourselves time to bask in the joy of answered prayer.

When “Christmas morning” finally comes and you receive from the Lord what you long sought, what distracts you from giving the Lord praise for answered prayers?

Let’s give ourselves permission to really savor every gift God gives.

Father, thank You for always answering my prayers. Remind me to relish the moments of deliverance and give You the thanks You deserve.

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O Come, Let Us Adore Him

In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. — John 1:4 NIV

Pause for a moment, and thank God for the miracle of the incarnation, of our infinite and eternal God taking on a human body to become the “light of all mankind.” Jesus stepped out of Heaven and came “in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:7). We can’t begin to comprehend all that this voluntary demotion involved when the infinite God chose to be confined to a human body. It’s like a human choosing to become an ant.

Furthermore, Jesus chose to enter the human race as a helpless infant. The all-powerful God teethed, ran a fever, and learned to walk. Then, thirty-three years later, this all-powerful God submitted to death. Charles Wesley penned the Christmas hymn that summarizes Jesus’ journey this way:

Christ, by highest Heaven adored; Christ, the everlasting Lord:

Late in time behold Him come, offspring of a virgin’s womb.

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, hail th’ incarnate Deity!

Pleased as man with men t’appear, Jesus our Immanuel here.

Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King.”

Hallelujah! Celebrate God incarnate with joy and gratitude!

O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. We praise You, Jesus.

Excerpted with permission from 365 Devotions for a Thankful Heart, copyright Zondervan.

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Your Turn

God’s gifts are to be savored. Thoroughly enjoyed. Steeped in gratitude and praise. Let’s pause and adore Him today, our God who is the giver of every gift and wrapped Himself in human flesh to be the Gift for us, Immanuel. Come share your thoughts with us on our blog. We want to hear from you! ~ Devotionals Daily