“See, your Savior comes! See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.’” They will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord...

Isaiah 62:11

When my daughter was six years old, I got an idea for the perfect Christmas for her: a book written just for her, with me as the author. Although the actual hard cover book wouldn’t make it in time to be wrapped under our tree, I was excited to give her a copy all the same. I was so excited, waiting in anticipation to give my daughter the perfect gift.

In Isaiah 62:11, we experience the same anticipation. I read the Lord’s proclamation, “See, your Savior comes!” and I imagine God sitting on the edge of his seat waiting for our response. Would we love his gift as much as he did? How would we respond?

I know earthly anticipation from giving good gifts to my children. But this? This sacrificial gift? Words cannot describe the depth of this love. The verse goes on to say, “His reward and his recompense accompany him.” Let that sink in for a bit. We are his reward, being able to be called as his Holy People. Most tend to view Christmas as the birth of a baby, but it is so much more.

My daughter was excited to get a copy of her book at Christmas and she showed it to everyone. But then the excitement wore off. One day, unexpectedly, a package arrived in the mail. It was the real book. My daughter’s excitement was beyond what I could have hoped for. She told everyone about it.

Just as our package arrived unannounced, so will God’s gift of his sacrificial son. He is coming again. Just as he promised. We received his first gift in the birth of Jesus, but that isn’t the end of the story.

"See, your Savior comes! See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. They will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord."

In this season, we celebrate what we know; we rejoice in his birth, and remember his death and resurrection. We look forward to our eternity as believers. But the final gift is yet to come. This Christmas as you rejoice in the coming Savior, the baby in the manger, the man on the cross, and the empty tomb, may you also rejoice in the promise that another gift is coming, and with that gift, justice and mercy unite. The perfect gift, ushering in all of eternity.                          

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: Consider the most exciting Christmas gift you have presented to someone.  As you remember your anticipation of their response and reflect on God’s gift to us in Jesus, what emotion do you feel? What images does it bring to mind? This Christmas as you celebrate the birth of Jesus, how might you fix your eyes on more than just a baby? How might your celebration shift if you focused on his death and his coming again someday? We are his recompense—his repayment. He calls us “his holy people.” In what ways do you feel unworthy of that title? Have you ever viewed yourself as his repayment for his sacrifice?

PRAYER: Dear God, thank you for this reminder that the birth of Jesus is the magnificent beginning of an incredible story. A story that includes his life, death, and resurrection. Thank you that I can look forward to his return and that I can celebrate that future gift with the expectant anticipation of a child on Christmas Eve. Amen.

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P.S. from Mark: Jen Sandbulte is currently president of J-S Leadership Group, president and founder of Simply Grace Ministries, and leads the annual COMPEL Women's Conference. Jen is married to Tom and together they are active parents of three small children and two loving adult children. Jen and Tom value family time and serving the Lord in all they do.

Image courtesy of Laity Lodge Youth Camp, one of our sister programs in the Foundations for Laity Renewal.