Choosing the Giver Over the Gift

I have a friend, that may shock some of you, but I did say “a” friend. This friend happens to be a remarkably talented musician and singer. He has a song on Spotify (link below), and in it he sings a lyric that has lodged itself deep in my heart:

“I want the Giver, not just the gift.” That line wrecks me - in the best possible way.

We are full on into one of the most wonderful seasons of the year. Christmas is filled with lights, music, traditions, memories, and moments that stir something deep inside us. And yet, maybe more than any other time of year, I find myself praying this simple prayer: Lord, let me be more in love with Christ than with Christmas.

Because if I’m honest, this season makes it incredibly easy to become more enamored with the gifts than The Gift.

The older I get, the more I realize how easily the tinsel-covered materialism of Christmas can begin to resemble Herod in the Christmas story. We may appear interested in the Savior, but our hearts can be driven by something else entirely - whether that’s greed, or pride, or prestige.

And yet, that’s not what Christmas was ever meant to be. Christmas is all about the One True God, the God who is all-powerful and the Creator of the Universe, who humbly came to us in the form of a baby, born amongst the barnyard animals.

So this Christmas, I find myself praying for a deeper joy - one that is beyond receiving and focused more on giving. I want to delight in watching my family and loved ones open gifts. I want to celebrate generously and gratefully. And let me be clear: I am truly thankful for what I receive, and I count those gifts as blessings. This isn’t a call to guilt or gloom. I don’t want to be a Debbie Downer about presents.

But I do want something more. I want this season, and the new year, to be primarily focused on Christ. An era where we worship the Savior, not just the blessings He gives. A posture of heart that says, Jesus, You are enough.

May this be a season where we want the Giver more than the gift. Because in the end, He is the greatest gift Christmas has ever offered - and He is still offering Himself to us today.

Everyday,

John

https://open.spotify.com/track/0g13D3D87Cw1OVlEyZg1TD?si=a76bff28b61a4f91