Salvation by Grace: A Free Gift Beyond Our Deeds - Ephesians 2:8

I have talked with a few friends about the idea of the Elf on the Shelf, Santa, and what Christmas has become. I want to share with you something that the Lord has put on my heart. This thought is something that I have been feeling over the years as a parent but could never put it into words until now.

Most people grew up with Santa at Christmas and with the idea that if you act right, you get presents, and if you act bad, you get coal. And then the Elf on the Shelf came out. The elf comes and spies on you during the day and at night returns to the North Pole and tells Santa if you have been naughty or nice.

Let's think about this situation for a moment. All year long, we expect children to behave because it is the respectful thing to do to honor their parents. But, the day after Thanksgiving, their gifts are suddenly dependent on behavior. Christmas is supposed to be a time to celebrate the birth of our Savior, but instead, we communicate to our children that their receiving a gift is based on their behavior. We teach them that their worth is dependent on how they act or the good deeds they do. This is the exact opposite of grace and that breaks my heart, y'all.

God sent His one and only Son to be our Savior and die for our sins so that we can be forgiven and free! Because of Christ, we no longer have to work for our forgiveness, it is freely given to all who ask!

Grace is freely given to all (Ephesians 4:7), and honestly, if we are real with ourselves, NONE of us deserve this life that we have been given. Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:8 that "we are saved by grace through faith, and it is not from ourselves, it is God's gift."

Did you catch that? It is a gift from God. For FREE! There is nothing that we can do to save ourselves! His Word tells us, "He saved us, not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5).

Will you receive the free gift God is offering to you?

Perspectives into Practice:

I challenge you to remember the "reason for the season," as they say, and bring it back to the REAL reason, God's perfect gift to us, His Son (Luke 2:1-20), the One who paid the ultimate price for you and me!