Excerpt from Micah 6:6–8

"With what shall I come before God...Burnt offerings, calves a year old...Thousands of rams, ten thousands of rivers of oil?"

Reflection by Anthony B. Robinson

If you haven't found the right gift by now, you may be feeling desperate. Desperate, anxious and maybe a little irritated. Lot of pressure, the gift-giving thing. The ads tell us that if only we get/find/buy the right gift, then we will be loved.

The people of Israel were operating on a similar premise: God would love them if they offered the right gift. But they are a little irritated about it all. Nothing seemed to be enough. No gift they could think up seemed sufficient to get God's love. So they poured out their frustration to the prophet, Micah. What does God want? Burnt offerings? Our best, young livestock? How about a couple thousand rams? Maybe a river of the finest oil? (Get how angry they are?) They up the ante as high as it can go. "Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?" What's it gonna take, God? 

Micah's answer, and the good news of Christmas, is that we don't have to come up with the perfect or the biggest or the most expensive gift. We don't have to win God's favor or to appease God at all. Instead of frantically trying to do something to get God to love us, trust that God already and truly loves us. We don't have to try to get on God's good side, because God has taken our side. God has sent God's own first born child to our side. God's love comes first, gift and grace. "Unto you is born this day in the city of David a child." We can't do a thing to earn God's love, but we can receive it and trust it.

We are, however, asked to respond to God's love and grace. How? Micah tells us, "by doing justice, loving kindness and walking humbly with God." Give this gift to God not to win God's love but because God loves you so much he sent his own first born child. God will always love you. It's a gift. Your Christmas gift. Open it and live.

Prayer

Lord, when I get tied in knots trying to earn your love, help me to take a deep breath and receive the good news, unto me is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord. Amen.

About the Author Tony Robinson, a United Church of Christ minister, is a speaker, teacher and writer. His most recent book is Changing the Conversation: A Third Way for Congregations. Read his weekly reflections on the current lectionary texts at www.anthonybrobinson.com/ by clicking on Weekly Reading.