Grace is a gift to every relationship and every home.  Grace is a free gift to us that we absolutely do not deserve.  The greatest example in history is celebrated by many traditions today, December 25.  Almighty God sent His Son, born of the Virgin Mary for the express purpose of paying the penalty of my many sins.  I certainly do not deserve God paying the penalty for my sin.  That is ultimate grace.  That is the reason for Christmas.

I’ll never forget grace shown me as a child growing up in Africa.  Occasionally my father found something special for my mother.  One day he returned from a trip to the big city of Ilorin with a Christmas present for my mother – a colored glass shade for the light in our living room.  Like many houses here, we had a single light bulb hanging from the ceiling.  You can imagine my excitement as I held the ladder and handed my father tools while he put up the beautiful colored light shade.  We were hiding in the dark when my mother returned from a long day of nursing at the leprosarium.  We shouted Merry Christmas when my father turned on the light switch and looked in awe at the beautiful light shade.  We felt like kings and queens.  Christmas morning we rushed to the living room to open our presents.  Mine was a tennis racquet from our family in England!  I could hardly wait to go to town and show my family how well I had learned to play tennis.  While my parents were in the kitchen preparing our Christmas breakfast, I showed my brothers and sisters the serve I had learned.  My swing smashed the beautiful light shade.  In stunned silence we looked at each other.  Then I dropped my tennis racquet, ran out the door and climbed the tallest tree I could find.  I knew I was going to get the biggest spanking I had ever had - if they ever found me.  After several hours my brother spotted me in the tree.  I climbed down to receive my just reward.  Instead my mother and father hugged me and told me to get my tennis shoes on.  They wanted to take us to town so I could show them my tennis game.  I received a gift of grace that day.

God gave us an undeserved gift wrapped up as a baby boy.  His purpose was to take my sin on Himself at the cross.  God’s gift of grace!  My parents forgave me when I deserved punishment.  Their gift of grace!  What will be your gift of grace today?