Admit it: we all like gifts.  No matter our age we like to open gifts. They may be “just what I wanted” or “just what I asked for” but there is still a certain excitement wrapped up in Christmas gift-giving.

In 1984 the rock group, Foreigner, came out with a song that struck a chord in the lives of many people…and still does. It tells the story of so many in our world. That song? I Want to Know What Love Is. It was a moving ballad and spoke of the desire of all of us: to find love.

We tend to hang our hats on things which will not last. We think the latest and greatest will make us happy or content. Not so fast! If you have ever watched Titanic there is a scene near the end where Rose is talking about the fictional character, Cal Hockley, who tried to “possess” her. As she speaks about him, she tells the undersea explorers how Cal took his own life after the economic downturn took his money.  Happiness and joy are two different animals. The angel didn’t say, “I bring you good news of great happiness.”

You don’t have to have lived through the Revolutionary War or Civil War or the world wars or Vietnam or Desert Storm or (take your pick) to know the world has been inundated with wars. When I say, “Wars” I do mean wars.  The end of WWI coined the phrase as it “was the war to end all wars.” Wrong. Peace is a missing commodity in our world. Take a look back at the summer of 2020 (then again maybe you don’t want to) and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see the unrest which rocked our world.

You have just opened your unexpected gifts- Love. Joy. Peace.  Those are the three unexpected gifts I will be preaching about this Sunday. It is those three gifts I highlight as gifts I hope they find underneath their tree this Christmas.

I would love to have you join me. As bribery we also have a special gift we are giving everyone this year.  Just kidding about the bribery. We do have a special gift I’m excited about giving to the folks. I’ll try to post a picture of it next week.  Please join me if you are able either in person or live stream.  BTW: if you join us live stream, may I ask you to please sign in just to let us know you are there? No obligation I promise.