God’s Gift is for All and for You  

When one part of our family gets together on Christmas Eve, we participate in one of those “white elephant” gift exchanges. You are probably familiar with that fun practice, as individuals either choose a wrapped package with its mystery contents or “steals” a gift someone else has already opened. Sometimes I end up with a present that I can enjoy or put to use. Other times I am left with a gift that I am ready to pass along to someone else who might better appreciate it. I have always found it a little challenging to shop for the present I bring to this event because it needs to be appropriate for a variety of possible recipients. You don’t know exactly who might receive it. It needs to be more generic than personal.

As we celebrate God’s gift to us of His Son to be our Savior, there is a sense in which this wonderful gift is both appropriate for everyone and tailored for each of us individually. The familiar truth of John 3:16 reminds us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Notice that God’s love includes everyone – the whole world. There is not any individual who has ever lived who was beyond the scope of God’s great love. This gift of sending His Son into the world was motivated out of divine love for all of us. God offers this loving gift to all people regardless of their ethnicity or religion, in spite of their morals or lack thereof, and no matter whether they believe in Him or not. This gift is offered to all.

Likewise, “whoever” can choose to receive that gift. Anyone who “believes in Him” can experience salvation and everlasting life. However, we do have to believe in Him, along with all that such a concept implies. We have to believe in who He is, what He says about our sinful condition, our need to turn from our sin, and the possibility of forgiveness and cleansing through trusting in Jesus as the one-and-only sacrifice for our sins. Every person, no matter who they are or what they have done, is eligible to receive this gift if they will only meet the condition of true faith.

So while this gift of God’s Son is available to and appropriate for all, it isn’t impersonal. While God loves the world, it is also important to realize that He specifically loves each of us individually. He sees you. He knows you. He is aware of everything about you. And He still loved you enough that He sent His Son to be your Savior. What He did for the world in general, He would have done for you if you had been the only person involved.

Similarly, the “whoever” in that call to faith also includes you. God doesn’t just invite “whoever may be willing” to put their trust in Jesus as their Savior. He has sent you a personal invitation to do so. He wants you to enter into that personal relationship with Him. He wants to forgive you of your sins. He wants to transform your heart. He wants to use you in His service in this world. He wants to prepare a spot specifically for you in heaven. Maybe you have heard His call in a sermon, in a Bible reading, through the witness of other people, or through the small voice of the Holy Spirit or His gentle tug on your heart. Have you responded?

Let’s rejoice that God’s gift of His Son is for everyone. And let’s be grateful that it is also specifically for you and me.