By Garth Whewell

When I was a child I could not wait until Christmas morning. That was the morning I woke up long before sunrise and then spent the next several minutes going about the house waking up my mom, my dad, and all six of my older siblings.

Together we would make our way to the Christmas tree and see all of the presents that were waiting to be unwrapped. With nine people in the house, that was a lot of presents. They practically covered the entire living room floor. I remember how great it was, and how special I felt that morning because I knew many of those presents had my name written on them. 

On those special mornings, I was lavished with gifts. Of course as the years have passed, my priorities have changed. No longer do I concern myself with the number of gifts that have my name written on them; I simply revel in the meaning of this special occasion and thank God for the wonderful gift I have in Jesus Christ.

He Chose Me

“For he chose us in him” (Ephesians 1:4). Before he fashioned the world, God chose me to be the recipient of a wonderful gift. It wasn’t wrapped in pretty paper or bright colored bows. My precious package wasn’t placed under a tree on the living room floor. Instead it was wrapped in small pieces of linen and placed in a feeding trough on the floor of a stable. I often wonder why God chose to put my name on that package. 

He Chose You

“And you also were included” (1:13). Of course, my name wasn’t the only name written on the package. It had millions of other names on it as well, and one of those names was yours. As we prepare our homes and our hearts for the advent of this Christmas season, be assured of this: God has chosen you and he has chosen to lavish upon you all the riches of his grace. He really does love you, and he really does think you are special.

Garth Whewell is a bi-vocational minister. He is the general manager for a landscaping company and currently ministers at Rising Sun Christian Church and Allison Prairie Church of the Brethren. He lives in Lawrence County, Illinois with his wife, Christy, and their two children, Wyatt and Elsie.