The Gift You Didn’t Know You Needed
The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.
— Romans 6:23
Have you ever reflected on why things, money, and relationships don’t satisfy long-term? Once you acquire something that you intensely desired, its significance seems to fade.
Maybe those feelings of unfulfillment are a curse, or maybe we were created with greater desires, even eternal ones (see Ecclesiastes 3:11).
The first part of Romans 6:23 describes the way our world currently operates … temporary, with the payment for our work having an expiration date. This implies that the “wages” we receive in this life (new cars, houses, promotions) cannot satisfy those eternal longings in our heart.
If we can’t satisfy our desire for the eternal in this world, we need access to something outside the world—which God gives us … “ the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
What does eternal life mean? Eternal means without beginning and end. But that might not seem too great to some people. I know people who if given the opportunity to be immortal would take a hard pass. But the key to understanding the magnificence of the gift being offered to us is found in the meaning of the word life. It means not just existence, but vitality.
Vitality is that bump we experience when our team wins, when we close the deal we’ve been working on for months, when the investment pays off, or when we find true lifelong love. Vitality gives us a sense of triumph and hope. It gives us the capacity to grow, thrive, and to live meaningfully. God’s magnificent gift is that feeling … for eternity (John 10:28).
God’s answer to that deep longing we have for purpose, contentment, hope, and wellness, is the gift of eternal life which came to us in the form of a baby in a manger. This Christmas, grab onto the eternal. Jesus promises that all who come to Him will find what they are looking for.
If this encouraged you, check out more articles from our Flatirons Spiritual Formation Team for practical tools, encouragement, and ways to grow in your faith and leadership. Click here.