Gifts from Above/ 天降礼物

[Dexu Xia]

Gifts from Above

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel. Matthew 1:23

According to an old story, a man named Nicholas (born in ad 270) heard about a father who was so poor that he couldn’t feed his three daughters, much less provide for their future marriages. Wanting to assist the father, but hoping to keep his help a secret, Nicholas threw into his house a bag with gold coins in it through a window, which landed in a sock drying on the hearth. That kind gentleman was known as St. Nicholas, who later became the inspiration for Santa Claus.  And the legacy of Santa Claus inspires kids to place their socks on the hearth on Christmas Eve hoping Santa Claus will drop into it the gift they desired.

When I heard that story of a gift coming down from above, I thought of God the Father, who out of love and compassion sent to earth the greatest gift, His Son, through a miraculous birth. According to Matthew’s gospel, Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecy that a virgin would conceive and give birth to a son whom they would call Immanuel, meaning “God with us” (1:23).

As lovely as Nicholas’s gift was, how much more amazing is the gift of Jesus. He left heaven to become a man, died and rose again, and is God living with us. He brings us comfort when we’re hurting and sad; He encourages us when we feel downhearted; He reveals the truth to us when we might be deceived.

How can you give the gift of Jesus today? How does His presence lead you to share your resources of time, wisdom, and love with others?

Jesus, thank You for the way You left Your Father to be born in humble circumstances. May I never take for granted Your presence in my life

天降礼物

必有童女怀孕生子，人要称祂的名为以马内利。-马太福音1章23节

有一则古老的故事说，有个名叫尼古拉斯的人（生于公元270年）听说有位贫穷的父亲，无法养活三个女儿，更无力承担女儿们将来结婚的费用。尼古拉斯想要帮助这位父亲，却不想让他知道。于是他在一个圣诞夜，将一个装着金币的袋子，从窗户丢进这个贫穷的家里，这袋子刚好掉进晾在壁炉上的一只袜子里。这个慈心的绅士就是众所周知的圣尼古拉斯，他就是圣诞老人的起源，也是孩子们在圣诞夜在壁炉上晾袜子，期待圣诞老人把他们期待的礼物扔在袜子里的起源。

这个“天降礼物”的故事，令我想到天父上帝出于爱与怜悯，让祂的儿子成为一份最宝贵的礼物，藉着童女怀孕降生在世上。根据马太福音的记载，耶稣的降生实现了旧约的预言，就是将会有个童贞女怀孕生下一子，人们要称祂为以马内利，意思是“上帝与我们同在”（1章23节）。

尼古拉斯送出美好的礼物令人羡慕，但上帝赐给我们耶稣这份礼物，却更加奇妙宝贵！耶稣离开天家降世为人，死后复活，祂成为常与我们同在的上帝。当我们伤痛时，祂带给我们安慰；当我们灰心沮丧时，祂带给我们鼓励；当我们可能被蒙骗时，祂会让我们如何按照真理行事！

耶稣，谢谢祢愿舍弃荣华离开天家，降生于如此卑微的环境。
在我的生命中祢常与我同在，愿我永不将这特权视为理所当然。

你要如何让人得到耶稣这份宝贵的礼物？
上帝的同在如何帮助你为别人付出？