The story goes that Santa asked the little boy, “What would you like for Christmas?” The child stared at him open mouthed and horrified for a minute, then gasped: “Didn’t you get my e-mail?”

Long before computers, when children penned long lists for Santa and put them up the chimney, our eight-year-old son Dermot produced a very succinct list for Santa. He was a sports enthusiast – an all rounder. He told me he had only one, single thing on his list. “So what is it?” I asked. “It’s the Athletic Stores!” he replied.

Last week the newspapers were full of tips and suggestions on what gifts to buy this Christmas. Santa had plenty of advice. The ideas ranged from the wacky to the tacky to the downright extravagant.

One rather cynical journalist described the whole business of Christmas shopping as “ humbug” and recalled an incident last September in one of the large supermarkets. He had heard a shopper loudly ask her friend, “Remind me, which comes first, Christmas or Halloween?”

Of course choosing and giving gifts is a lovely way to express our love and affection for family and friends. And in a wider context Christmas prompts us to give generously to numerous good causes.

CMS Ireland, to name but one, invites us to buy what they call Plough Shares at £1 each to help families in Southern Sudan. CMS say these are a gift for people in ‘real need’, even a gift of life.

When David had established himself as the King of Israel he wanted to give God a gift. He had in mind a thanksgiving gift. David had won so many great victories. Now he lived in a palatial palace. He was ‘the king’ and “The Lord had given him rest from all his enemies”.

He had much to be thankful for.

So what should he give God?

You’ve been asking that kind of question; only it’s been about what to give Tom, Dick or Harry? What to give Mary, Martha or Myrtle?

Your choices may have taken time to consider or perhaps you had a flash of inspiration and the gift was in the bag very quickly. Or, like the cynic, you perhaps took the lazy way out and got the same thing again this year.

Well David put a great deal of thought into his gift for God. He had a big idea. As he looked around his magnificent palace and compared it to the flimsy tent in which the “Ark of God” was kept he jumped to the conclusion that things had to be balanced out.

How could he live in such splendour he reasoned while God had to make do with a tent? As if God was confined to that flimsy tent!

Nevertheless he drew up his gift list for God. He would build a temple of the finest materials, no expense spared. It would be a gift worthy of the great King David. Nathan, the most important prophet in the court agreed with him and the plans were put in hand.

Yes, it was a pious, goodwill gesture. It was even generous and well meaning but presumptuous.

“When did I ever say ‘why have you not built me a house of cedar?” says the Lord.

Not a good idea then, in fact the whole idea was much too much to do with David and what he thought was right. He may also have had a few political points in mind given the enthusiastic support for his plans from the Nathan wing of the religious hierarchy.

But really David’s big idea was the kind of gift more suitable for what JB Phillips described as “a god too small”.

In our giving to God we can take the lazy way. We can gift wrap for a god of our own making, designed to our specifications; a god in a box of comfortable proportions easily handled and requiring little thought.

David had not been listening. “When did I ever say…?” He had not taken to heart the reality of God’s love and the implications of accepting His sovereign authority.

So the Lord challenges David and in doing so makes it clear that “The Lord himself will establish a kingdom”, a kingdom not made with stones and fine wood, but with people; with people whose hearts and minds would be embraced and fastened together by the love of God.

This divine embrace, this Divine initiative, would later be dramatically illustrated in the story of the Prodigal Son. It would describe God’s character; one who waits patiently, reaching out, embracing his son, and “kissing him tenderly”.

Over the centuries the descendants of David would nurture this vision of God taking the initiative, reaching out to them, embracing them in all their need and weaknesses.

This glorious vision would be their inspiration and become a deep conviction of “God with us” bringing salvation and redemption.

“The Lord himself will establish an everlasting kingdom”. This promise to David and his descendants would endure and is central to our Christian hope. It is the promise fulfilled in Jesus.

For “God so loved the world that he gave Jesus”.

On this 4^th Sunday in Advent we have lit the candle of love. Now the four lights shine – hope, peace, joy and love. On Christmas Day we light the Christ candle that, we could say, kindles and sustains all the others.

For Jesus Christ shows us God’s perfect love, God in human form, God’s gift of revelation and love to all mankind.

Our response then is not so much focused on what we give to God, not so much about making a big gesture but rather about being ready to accept and welcome His gift in all humility.

There’s a saying “you can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving”. In accepting the love of God in our hearts, the giving, even to the point of sacrifice and practical service to others, follows.

Love persuades us to do the right thing, to welcome the prodigal, to search out the lost, to see the face of Christ in the hungry and oppressed and to follow Christ.

This morning it has been our great privilege as the Church family to share with baby Oliver the truth of ‘God with us’ and His wonderful gift to each one of us.

“You have received the light of Christ, walk in this light all the days of your life. Shine as a light in the world to the glory of God the Father”.

 Amen