The Gift, Part 2
Brad Snyder • December 29, 2025

The Gift – Part 2

January 1, 2026


Last week, I wrote about God’s “indescribable gift” (II Corinthians

9:15). God came down among us, His creation, as one of us, Jesus, lived

a perfect life and died the death that every one of us deserved, the

perfect sacrifice for our sins. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is

death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.”

What is our response to the greatest gift we’ve ever been offered? Take

a moment and think of the gift you most want, the most incredible,

desirable gift in the world, and picture it wrapped and placed under your

Christmas tree. If it’s not tangible, use your imagination to picture it

gift-wrapped beautifully and nestled under the branches. Your name

dangles from the package, embossed on a beautiful tag, and on

Christmas morning, the giver is excited to see you open it. You’ve been

in that position, haven’t you, giving gifts to your children or

grandchildren? In our scenario, however, you decide you don’t want it,

so you leave it there, unopened. Is it still yours? Yes. Do you receive

any benefit at all from it? No. And that is where so many millions miss

the point every single Christmas. This is the time of year when we

celebrate the greatest gift of all time – the gift of Jesus and the salvation

and eternal life He offers. And many of us have taken that offered gift.

We have unwrapped it and we have thanked God for it and it has

fundamentally changed our lives. But so many, even as they are

unwrapping their wonderful gifts from family and friends throughout

this season, are leaving the indescribable gift unopened under the tree.

Maybe that’s you. You enjoy Christmas every year, and everyone

assumes you’re a Christian because you say the right words and sing the

right songs. But you’ve neglected God’s gift to you. Every year you put

it back in the basement or attic after Christmas, and there it sits, waiting

to be received. God gave the gift of salvation through His Son to

everyone who has ever lived, but only those who have accepted the gift

from Him, only those have the benefit of the gift, a personal relationship

with Jesus, and eternal life.

Have you accepted the gift? It’s right there; your name is on it. In Acts

16:31, Paul told the Philippian jailer, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you

will be saved.” In John 3:16b Jesus told Nicodemus, “Whoever believes

in Him [Jesus] shall not perish, but have eternal life.” Simply believe.

Paul writes in Romans 1:16 that the gospel is “the power of God for

salvation to everyone who believes,” and in Romans 10:9, he writes “If

you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that

God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

It’s not complicated. Simply believe. No checklist for salvation exists.

There are no hoops to jump through, no prerequisites to meet, no

minimum achievement test scores to attain, no behavioral standards to

live up to, no background checks to pass and no flowery prayers to

recite. Simply believe and you will be saved. I pray that if you haven’t,

you will. Don’t leave that personalized, incredible, indescribable gift

wrapped under the tree again this year.

And if you do receive it, please let me know so I can celebrate with you!

Listen to the audio version

About the author:

Brad Snyder, Senior Ministry Director

office@hannaford.org

406-449-2273

Brad received a degree in Biology Education long ago from Liberty University and another in Biology from Montana State University almost as long ago. The first twenty years of his career he worked with young people in various capacities. The second twenty years were spent with the Social Security Administration. Recently retired, Brad looks forward to the challenges of a new ministry. He feels that seniors are a vital part of the church Body and though he has only recently crossed the threshold of “senior-dom,” he trusts that God can use Him to help seniors build a stronger relationship with God and stronger relationships with others. The senior years are accompanied by unique challenges, and Brad hopes to be able to come alongside seniors to pass along God’s hope and encouragement.



Brad and his wife Erin began attending Hannaford in November 2019. They have three grown children and two grandchildren (and a third due Spring 2026).

Recent Posts

The Gift, Part 1

By Brad Snyder • December 27, 2025
The Gift – Part 1 December 25, 2025 It’s here! All the anticipation has led up to this day. Merry Christmas! Gift-giving is a big part of our Christmas traditions. When I was thirteen or fourteen, I really wanted that electronic hand-held football game for Christmas; the one that had little red pips on the screen and did a lot of beeping. I never got that gift, even after several years of asking. I was so disappointed. About fifteen years ago, I bought one for myself from a catalog of vintage toys. I was so disappointed! When my wife was pregnant with our first child, we gave both of our sets of parents a pair of white, knit baby booties, with some clever little poem, hinting at what would soon fill those booties. We got exactly the excited reactions we hoped for. We all have stories of memorable Christmas gifts, the bad as well as the good; the vacuum cleaner your husband gave you, or the crocheting lessons your wife gave you. I’m reminded of several fictional characters who were given amazing gifts. The Grinch was given the gift of realizing that “Christmas doesn’t come from a store, that Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.” And whatever that “more” was, caused his heart to grow three sizes (I’ve always thought it interesting that Dr. Seuss, in that book, never did explain what the true meaning of Christmas really is). Ebenezer Scrooge received the opportunity to look at his life from the outside, and he was given a second chance to make a positive impact on the people in his life and the world around him. Finally, George Bailey’s gift – an amazing chance to see how terrible the world would have been minus the impact of his life well-lived. Those were all great gifts, but let’s shift gears now to talk about the greatest gift ever given. Second Corinthians 9:15 says, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.” Before the beginning of time, God knew that His creation would rebel, and that rebellion would generate a tragic separation between God and His creation. But the Plan was already in place. God would come down among His creation as one of them, live a perfect life and die the death that every one of us deserved, the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.” What an indescribable gift! But let’s take a moment to try to describe it, however inadequately. It was the most mind-boggling gift in the history of the world. When God became a man, he was 100% man, but still 100% God. Our minds can’t process that concept. Aren’t you glad there are so many things surrounding God that we can’t comprehend? This was also the most sacrificial gift of all time. Jesus was the required perfect sacrifice for sin, and He went to an excruciating death on the cross. It was the most loving gift ever given as well. God looked across the ages, saw you and said, “He’s worth it. I love him. She’s worth it. I love her. I’m going to provide a way for them to be with Me forever.” Finally, this gift was the most influential event in the history of the world. The time of the giving of this gift is the commonly-used dividing line between B.C. and A.D. (at least among those who love God). All of human history rotates on the hub of this gift. Today, enjoy the giving and the receiving, especially if there are children involved. But don’t forget the free and indescribable gift God gave you!

Immanuel

By Brad Snyder • December 18, 2025
The Hebrew word for God, “El,” is found all over the Bible in the names of people and places, often flying under our radar. Before you look down and continue reading, take a moment and see how many you can list on your own.

Considering Christmas

By Brad Snyder • December 10, 2025
It’s that time of the year again. My favorite time of the year. I love the decorated tree glowing in the corner. I love the smells - apple cider simmering on the stove, maybe with a stick of cinnamon peering out; hot chocolate after a chilly evening of caroling (or really, anytime at all); the fir garlands strewn about the house; the peppermint of the candy canes. I love singing the old carols. The lights adorning any and every surface inside and out thrill me. It warms my heart to see people who don’t get along very well making a valiant attempt to do so. I love the decorations, loaded with memories, lifted carefully from the box once again to grace the house with their festive spirit. I even love the sound of the Salvation Army bell! To me, none of this ever gets old. But what I love more than any of those things is The Story . So much gripping narrative packed into just a few chapters of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, telling of the birth of Jesus. The angel Gabriel’s busy year, making announcements to both Elizabeth and Mary regarding their miraculous pregnancies. Mary’s awful sacrifice - knowing she was innocent but thought a sinner by all her family and friends and indeed, the entire region. Joseph’s emotional rollercoaster - devastation at the news of Mary’s pregnancy, relief after being informed of the truth, and finally the awful realization that everyone would naturally think either 1) he was the father and therefore a sinner or 2) he was marrying a sinner. The discomfort and stress involved in the journey to Bethlehem, Mary almost to term. The crowds everywhere due to the census and the corresponding lack of lodging. The desperation to find a place to shelter and possibly the near-panic as Mary’s labor began. Those rough shepherds “abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.” The host of angels appearing to the terrified shepherds in the middle of the night, by the blazing light of the glory of God. The shepherds striding boldly into Bethlehem asking everyone they encountered where was the new baby and then afterward telling everyone they met about their heavenly encounter. And eight days later, the meeting in the Temple with the two faithful old servants of God, Simeon and Anna. Maybe you’re not as thrilled as I am about this Christmas. Perhaps it has been a painful year of loss for you, and you are focused on simply climbing slowly, excruciatingly, out of the dark. Or maybe you’ve suffered the horrible grind of watching a loved one fade slowly away, knowing you can’t do a thing to stop it. Or you’ve watched in helpless frustration as a loved one has self-destructed. Maybe shattered relationships and regret have crushed your spirit. Possibly the ones you love are far away and the loneliness you feel threatens to overwhelm you. Perhaps the continual diet of corruption and atrocity you’re exposed to on the evening news has numbed your optimism. And The Story has lost a bit of its shine for you! Wayne Watson wrote and sang a song back in the early ‘90s called Say It All Again . Here are a few lines of that song: “From creation days, to the tales of kings To the baby born Messiah, something deep inside me clings So say it all again. Same old story, same old lines I have heard it all before, but say it over one more time It will warm my frozen heart, so say it all again.” We live in a fallen world, filled with pain and the constant fight against sin. But be encouraged! God sent His Son into the world to win the battle against sin and set us free! And one day every wrong will be made right. The pain of loss and loneliness will disappear forever. If you don’t have personal relationship with God, please talk to me as soon as possible. I’ll be happy to lead you closer to Him. So, if you’re struggling to get into the Christmas spirit this year, I understand. Can I make a suggestion, though? Consider reading Matthew 1,2 and Luke 1,2 again. Marvel once more at this incredible story – God came to earth to redeem us from the mess we’ve made. No other story in the history of mankind rivals that one. It’s sure to warm your frozen heart.