Best Gift Ever

When I was fifteen my family and I were living at Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii. It so happened that our housing was just a block away from the golf course. I became intrigued at golfers coming and going. One day I walked up and watched as men and women practiced on the putting green. There were several in our church who played golf. I was elated when, hearing of my interest to learn, they invited me to join them on Saturday mornings. I was always up at 5:00am eagerly waiting. Just one game and I was hooked. It’s my favorite sport to this day. I still get a thrill to hear the click of the club hitting the ball, then watching it soar across the sky. Because of my lifetime travels I have never been able to play as much as I would like, but it’s a time of sheer bliss when I do.

Imagine my excitement when, that Christmas at age fifteen, I came downstairs on Christmas morning and there stood a golf bag complete with a set of shiny clubs. It remains my best gift ever. I beam to this day when I play, when rather often, someone compliments me on my clubs. Yes, I still have the same ones, and I guess they’re now antiques!

My golf clubs are the best gift in my physical world, but what about my spiritual world? Well, for all of us who have received God’s gift of salvation, the promise of forgiveness of every sin, plus eternal life where joy never ends and no tears of sorrow exist, that is the best gift ever. However, there’s another gift that Jesus gave to all who personally know Him; it’s the gift of The Advocate. Aside from salvation, the coming of The Advocate or The Holy Spirit, is another amazing gift. Jesus said, in explaining His crucifixion and resurrection, in John 16:5-7, “Now I am going away to the One who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send Him to you.”

You see, when we have The Advocate residing within us, He reminds us of God’s Words and of God’s truth. He empowers us with strength to face any trial, with courage to walk into the unknown, with kindness to respond to the needs of others, with peace and joy in the midst of life’s turmoil. He gives us hope when dreams shatter, comfort when we grieve, and quiet joy in the most unimaginable of difficult circumstances. The gift of the Holy Spirit is amazing! If you don’t know Him, He’s only a prayer away. If you choose to receive Jesus this Christmas, not only comes forgiveness of all sin, with promise of eternal life with Him, but you get the added gift of The Holy Spirit — He and Jesus — the best gifts ever!