God sent Jesus as a gift to us to save us from our sins…but that’s not all! Jesus is coming back for a big Finale, wrapping up all of God’s gifts to us on this life’s journey exactly according to God’s plan for us! How do we know? The Bible tells us so…

1 Corinthians 1, The Message

1-2 I, Paul, have been called and sent by Jesus, the Messiah, according to God’s plan, along with my friend Sosthenes. I send this letter to you in God’s church at Corinth, believers cleaned up by Jesus and set apart for a God-filled life. I include in my greeting all who call out to Jesus, wherever they live. He’s their Master as well as ours!

3 May all the gifts and benefits that come from God our Father, and the Master, Jesus Christ, be yours.

4-6 Every time I think of you—and I think of you often!—I thank God for your lives of free and open access to God, given by Jesus. There’s no end to what has happened in you—it’s beyond speech, beyond knowledge. The evidence of Christ has been clearly verified in your lives.

7-9 Just think—you don’t need a thing, you’ve got it all! All God’s gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale. And not only that, but God himself is right alongside to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus. God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that.

As my dad struggles with congestive heart failure in the hospital this season, it is such a gift to know that God, who got us started in our spiritual adventure, is right beside us to keep us steady. What a another great gift!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for never giving on me when I was tempted many times to give up on myself. You give and give and give. What could we possible give back to You? All you require of us is to know and accept Your love, love You back and to live a life of love for others. So, I give you my life again this morning. Guide us. Be our strength and our song. Be our wisdom in the coming days. And thank you, dear Jesus for wrapping up all of God’s gifts with coming back to get us all and take us home. The Big Finale…the Final Present all wrapped up in Jesus! In Jesus Name, we pray and place all our hope…Amen.