I’m naming a Land Rover and a Joanna Gaines farmhouse. Amen.

So far I’ve still got my Kia and 60’s era rental home. Must not have enough faith. Guess I just need to pray harder. Or pray longer. Or fast more. Or or or…

Church history informs us of countless doctrines that missed the mark. (Indulgences anyone?) But if you look closely, most have a sincere nugget of truth embedded within. It just took that core truth in the wrong direction. Many a baby has been tossed out with the proverbial bathwater.

Would you indulge me (ha) as I attempt to rescue the baby in the “name it and claim it” doctrine?

For those who hold this doctrine, both halves are centered on oneself. We need to do the “naming” of what we want, and then we can “claim” it as our own. This position doesn’t leave much room for God to be anything other than Santa Claus delivering our personally curated Christmas list.

But what if God did put presents under the tree for us? Ones we didn’t ask for – but ones He wanted us to have? I imagine we would wake up Christmas morning to see an array of beautifully wrapped presents of all shapes and sizes, each one with a gift tag with our name on it.

Let’s go get that baby.

There you are, standing in front of the tree, staring at a gift with your name on it. What do you do now? You claim it of course! You reach down and take what has been given to you. You open it up with wonder and delight and a boatload of thanksgiving. Then you use it!

These gifts were not ones we named, but ones HE named for us before the foundation of the world. The most valuable and precious being the gift He gave the world who didn’t ask – the gift of Himself.

The gift of forgiveness is one we must claim. We can’t have it if we don’t claim it. We can see it’s there under the tree with our name on it. There’s nothing we did or can do to merit its offering. Our only responsibility is to pick it up, believe it’s really ours to have, take what has been offered, and claim it as our own.

The gift of forgiveness is just the beginning. The Bible is full of undeserved gifts He has given to us.

What should we do in response? Claim what God has named for us!