“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people.” Titus 2:11

Most of us are very, very busy around Christmas time.

Still there are those who apparently have too much time on their hands. On that list I would place the folks who have done the calculations for the 31st annual PNC Wealth Management Christmas Price Index.

For those of you who don’t know anything about the PNC Wealth Management Christmas Price Index, I can tell you these are the folks who keep track of that song about the “12 Days of Christmas.” You know the song that has “lords-a-leaping” and “golden rings” and “swans-a-swimming.” Well, these folks are able to tell you what such things would cost your true love. More than that, they can tell you if, during the last year, those things got more expensive or cheaper.

You probably won’t be surprised if I tell you, this past year things have gone up slightly in price, about $300. While some items stayed the same, there was a sizable increase in the cost of those six “geese-a-laying.”

Now, if your true love gave you everything on the list, but did it only once, the total would be $42,959. On the other hand, if your true love purchased all the items on the list each time that item was mentioned, the price would zoom up to $116,273.

Now I don’t know if your true love is going to spend $116,273 on you for Christmas this year. I’m inclined to doubt it. But you should hardly feel badly about having a true love who is a bit cheap on holiday expenditures.

I say that because you and I have received a gift from our Lord that can never be measured in dollars and cents. It’s true. In the Person of Jesus Christ, God’s Son came down to earth. Here, as one of us, He obeyed all of the Lord’s commandments, and He did so perfectly. As one of us, He declined all the devil’s temptations, and He did that without slip or stumble. Then, once again, as one of us, He died the death our sins said we deserved.

In His true love, the Lord gave His Son to be our Ransom and Restorer.

This is why this day and every day, God’s elect have been given cause for rejoicing, celebration and thanksgiving.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, for Your great gift of grace, may I always be truly grateful. This I ask in the Savior’s Name. Amen.

Pastor Ken Klaus Lutheran Hour Ministries All rights reserved; not to be duplicated without permission.