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Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Matthew 2:11 CSB
Some gifts we give out of obligation. Or is that just me?
But most of the gifts we give we love to see that they're accepted, wanted, that the person receiving the gift gets some joy or blessing. We love to see that they get the thought, the meaning that goes with it, that they get the love that propels it. 
The gift says "I was thinking of you".
These gifts on the first Christmas were loaded with meaning, prepared well in advance, were at risk of being stolen along the way, at risk of being rejected.
God's gift for us on that first Christmas was loaded with meaning, loaded with hope, loaded with grace, loaded with love.
Our Heavenly Father thought of us, and prepared that gift well in advance, and took the risk, the risk that His Gift would be rejected. 
He wanted us to see His heart in the Gift, to see the love that propels it to us. 
The gifts we get might be tangible things that when used or looked at they remind us that we are loved. They might be a smile, a hug, a word of courage when we need it, a voice of hope, gifts that remind us that we're valued, we belong, we are loved. Hold on to those gifts and the truth they speak to your heart. 
#dearlyloved
#childofGod
#valuedsndvaluable
 

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