I am a Christian. If you are a Christian, you know that I say that with gratitude and thankfulness. If you are not a Christian, you may think I am boasting or bragging and that I am saying that I am better than you.

But, you see, the fact is that if you are a Christian, it is actually a gift from God. When you get a gift from someone, your reaction is to be grateful and thankful, not prideful or to boast about it. Being a Christian is also a unique, special kind of gift, one where you did nothing to deserve it. That is why it is called a free gift from God. So, I cannot say that I am better than anyone else, whether they are a Christian or not. The only difference is that, as a Christian, I am blessed with salvation for eternity because of what God did for me.

The interesting thing about any gift though, is that you have to accept it. If someone brings you a gift and you don’t take it from them, or you don’t open the package, then you haven’t accepted it. You can’t enjoy the benefits that the gift brings. It just sets there unopened.

So, if you want to accept God’s free gift, you have to accept it. Not because you deserve it, not because you have done anything for it, but because you are grateful and thankful for what He has done.

There are two simple things you have to do to accept the gift.  Both of these are important and necessary steps for you to claim the free gift.

First, you have to acknowledge that God exists. In order to receive a gift from someone, you have to recognize that someone gave it to you. When it is God that gives you a gift, you have to understand who He is, the creator of the universe, a perfect God. He wants you to be perfect too, but we are not perfect. God sent His son, Jesus to be the perfection that we cannot be and to be punished for the things we have done to hurt God. Jesus took the punishment for us. To accept the gift we need to tell Him we are sorry for the things we have done to hurt Him and ask His help to turn away from them.

Secondly, in order to accept His gift, we must realize that He is saving us for an eternity with Him in heaven. God is therefore our Savior and because of that He deserves our worship. We have to accept Him as Lord of our life and Savior of our souls.

So, I had nothing to do with my salvation, I only had to accept the free gift of God.  I can truly say without boasting, but only with gratitude and thankfulness – I am a Christian.

If you are not a Christian and want salvation and eternity with a loving God, the free gift is waiting there for you too. All you have to do is accept it. It is the best gift you will ever receive.

Always praying for the glory of God.