Bishop Clive Writes: 
“A Time of Gifts”

"A Time of Gifts" is the title of a travel book which has become a classic. For many people, this month is also a time of gifts. For some weeks, even months, those who plan ahead will have been gathering together the presents they intend to give to relations and special friends. Others of us who leave a bit more to the last minute are perhaps just starting to hear a little nagging voice inside urging us to do something about it

Part of the joy of receiving a gift is guessing what it is before we unwrap it. Of course, in some cases it is fairly obvious. It's difficult to disguise a bicycle in wrapping paper! But even when we guess easily that the gift is a book, there is still the surprise when we see the title. Surprise is part of the wonder and the joy of giving and receiving. 

At the heart of Christmas is a gift. Because of this gift, Christmas is. And what a surprising gift it is too: the gift of God himself, God being born as a baby. What a surprise is that!

 Some surprises last a lifetime. The Christmas Story is one of those. It is just so different from what we would have imagined. If humans had

 made it up, God coming to earth, they would never have done it like this. There would have been a palace, gorgeous robes, trumpets sounding and a throne for the Lord to sit on. The very surprise of how it happened speaks of its authenticity. Would we not have told it differently? God in a stable: what a surprise for the young boy who we may imagine coming to sweep it out!

The surprise does not end there. It's not just in the "where" and the "how" of it. Did not the Shepherds hear the Angels say "I bring you good tidings of great joy...For unto you is born this day....a saviour"? There, too, is the surprise in this special gift. Many

people imagine that their salvation lies in their good moral record, their helping of others, their piety, or even in  the fact that they never got drunk or that they once went to Sunday School or sang in the choir. But our salvation does not lie in our record of doing good, important though a life well lived might be. Our ultimate destiny lies in One "who for us and for our salvation came down from heaven", was born in a stable, cradled in straw, died on a cross and rose on the third day. That is the

surprise, this gracious gift of God.

Most of the gifts we shall give and receive will be given and received with love. Just a very few will be precious because given at great cost, not in terms of money but in what they cost the giver to part with them. The gift of God at Christmas was like that. For us that is another surprise. The lowliness of the manger led to the terror of the cross. The salvation Christ offers was costly. "Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might be rich." 

What do we do when we are offered a gift, especially one that is both a surprise and costly to the giver? Do we not express our thankfulness from the bottom of our

hearts? May we do that at Christmas as we sing our carols. Even more, may we do it in helping to relieve need wherever we find it. May that be our response to this surprising, costly gift of God.

A very happy Christmas to you all,