There is a verse of Scripture that I believe is the perfect segue from the Thanksgiving holiday to the Christmas season. It is 2 Corinthians 9:15, which says, “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.”

The gift from God that is mentioned here is, of course, the gift of his Son Jesus. God loved the world, and everybody in it, so much that he sent his one and only Son Jesus to die on a cross to pay for the sins of mankind. Whoever truly believes in Jesus will not have to perish but will instead be given the gift of eternal life (John 3:16). At just the right time, when everything had been set in place, God sent his Son Jesus into the world (Galatians 5:4). And for that we are eternally grateful!

2 Corinthians chapters 8 and 9 are an encouragement for the members of the church to be generous in gathering a collection to give to God’s people who were in need. Seen in its context, 9:15 directs us to the cross for our inspiration for giving. Our offerings are one very important way that we show our thanks to God for what he has given us in Jesus. In his amazing grace, God has offered us salvation in Jesus Christ and countless other blessings that are freely given. We could never repay God for what he has done for us. However, our lives should be dedicated to showing our appreciation to God for giving us the salvation that we all so desperately needed but could not in any way attain for ourselves.

We must not depend on the calendar to dictate our worship. We must strive to show every day our thanks to God for his indescribable gift. We must cultivate a heart of gratitude that is expressed in many ways, especially in our generosity.

So, as we make the transition from Thanksgiving to Christmas, let us be mindful of what God has given us in Jesus. And let us strive to show generosity to others, since God has been so generous to us.