Why Jesus Went Christmas Shopping

Hallmark movies are like football to me. At Christmas time, they’re better than the Superbowl. I relish them even though they all use the same 5 plots:

1) New Nanny Brings Christmas Joy to Widower
2) Angel Reunites Couple in time for the Holidays
3) Ruthless Reporter has Change of Heart by Christmas Eve
4) Career Woman Finds Love and Holiday Cheer in North Pole
5) Child’s Christmas Wish Answered:  Santa Delivers New Dad

The sub-plots are the same too. There is bound to be a matchmaking mother or a misplaced missive professing one character’s love for another.

Almost always, there is a highly sought-after toy that is sold-out in stores and can’t be procured by any amount of begging or bribery.

Outside of Hallmark land, products don’t usually sell out in every store, but most of us can relate to the challenges of shopping for the perfect present.

Perhaps the intended recipient is hard to shop for, already has everything, or is just plain picky. Or, maybe they are held in such high regard that something really special is in order.

Whatever the reason, you look high and low, leaving no stone unturned–on an all-out search for a gift that is out-of-this-world. Forming a secret search party isn’t totally out of the question, and once you finally find what you’re looking for, you protect it with your life.

Jesus did much the same when He left Heaven for earth on a quest for you.

 “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”– Luke 19:10 (NLT)

This isn’t just a salvation message (*although, if you are reading this and haven’t yet succumbed to Jesus’ unrelenting pursuit, I pray you do), it’s a “know your worth” message too.

People don’t seek out things that have no value. If we take time and care to search for missing keys, a lost wedding ring, or a special gift, how much more valuable is the object of the King of Heaven’s desire?

You are priceless. Precious. A longed-for treasure.

The worth of a prize is proved by the extent of the endeavor and the cost of the chase.

And Jesus gave everything. Absolutely EVERYTHING.

For YOU.

“For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”–  Romans 5:7-8 (NKJV)

Jesus described himself as One who would buy an entire field in an effort to find you–His pearl of great price. The Great Shepherd, He declared his passion so vast that He would leave 99 others behind to bring you back to Himself.

You are the reason for the expedition, the esteemed paragon diamond. You are greatly loved.

*To the reader who does not yet know the joy of being found by Jesus:  everything written above is true of you. If it is possible, He yearns for you even more. I know you feel unworthy, and we have all fallen short. We were born into a decaying world, separated from God by inherited sin–the gap ever-widening as we grasp at straws to build a bridge out of something we don’t have. But Jesus bridged the gap when He traded His life for ours in the greatest act of love ever displayed. He paid a price we could not afford, and in doing so, endowed us with indescribable worth.

How do you receive this gift, this Savior? Surrender your life to the One who showed us the meaning of surrender when He submitted to a cross, trusting that His Father knew best. Relinquish your own way and embrace Jesus–“the Way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).” Trust that Jesus is who He says He is and that His sacrifice was enough. Look up. In Him you will find forgiveness, healing, and more peace than you thought possible. You’ll also discover that HE is worth giving up all else to gain. The principle is reversible; Jesus is the Pearl of Great Price. It’s worth selling everything to you have to find Him. The journey begins and continues with surrender.

Find out more about following Jesus here.

And here.

You just read the first of 7 posts meant to help focus our hearts on Jesus by looking at ordinary Christmas stuff (like shopping for the perfect gift) in a new way. If you want to keep up with all 7 posts, the simplest way is to scroll down, enter your email address, then click the follow button to subscribe. OR, you can follow on Facebook. However, Facebook has changed its settings to decrease the organic/unpaid reach of its page posts. If you don’t want to miss the next post, click the drop-down arrow next to the “liked” button on Free to Surrender’s Facebook page and choose “Get Notifications.”