First Gifts

We give gifts at Christmas. Many of us give gifts to others that we intend to be gifts to God as well. The only way we can really give to God is to give to others. But before we give God anything, we have to give Jesus our sins. Let me speak personally here. As the days unfold at Goodwill, certain sins of certain people (no, not me) will become the news of the day, at least in our circles. This happens in cycles and ought not surprise us. Every time a certain person's certain sins surface in a certain community everyone in that community has an opportunity to examine their own sins and their own souls. This is unpleasant at best. Some say it's good and necessary, but I tend not to have such an optimistic view of the effects of sin. I guess if you need surgery, it's a good thing, but it's best just not to need it. I wish I didn't need it, but I do. I've got sins to give to Jesus for Christmas. If I don't give them to Him, I'll keep them and soon they'll be keeping me. I'm either a slave to Christ or a slave to my sins. No middle ground. The Magi knew this and chose to honor Christ over Herod, a human embodiment of sin. In Matthew 2:16 it says, "When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi." Sin, like Herod, is a terrible, murderous king. When I see Herod's reaction I recoil at it because, in the horror of honesty, I recognize myself. Without Christ, I'm not a better man than Herod. If I think I am a better man on my own, I will surely become my own brand of Herod. Even with Christ, I'm sorely tempted and spiritually frail. My sins are my first gifts to Jesus. He takes them from me because, before I was born, He took them onto His body on the cross. He paid for them. I'm not saying that I'm a sinner because this is what preachers do. I really am. I really need a Savior. I'm that messed up. He's that good.

What first "gifts" do you need to give to Jesus this Christmas, in other words, what sins do you need to confess? If you are setting confession of sins aside or postponing doing it, what is a higher priority to you? How can it be?