SALT Challenge - The Greatest Gift

It's time again for another SALT challenge and this week it was Hazel's turn to set the challenge. Since it's so close to Christmas, she chose a great topic...The Greatest Gift; the birth of Jesus Christ. She had an excellent write up on the SALT blog, I recommend giving it a read! (See the inside of my card below) I've opted to re-post portions of a devotion from Charles Spurgeon, which focuses on the text from John 7:37, "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink", and although this verse doesn't specifically focus on the birth of Christ, it focuses on what He came to do in the hearts of man. Christ's proclamation is made most freely, that every thirsty one is welcome. No other distinction is made but that of thirst. Whether it be the thirst of avarice, ambition, pleasure, knowledge, or rest, he who suffers from it is invited. The thirst may be bad in itself, and be no sign of grace, but rather a mark of inordinate sin longing to be gratified with deeper draughts of lust; but it is not goodness in the creature which brings him the invitation, the Lord Jesus sends it freely, and without respect of persons. The sinner (and we are all sinners by nature) must come to Jesus, not to works, ordinances, or doctrines, but to a personal Redeemer, who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree. The bleeding, dying, rising Saviour, is the only start of hope to a sinner. No waiting or preparation is so much as hinted at. Drinking represents a reception for which no fitness is required. A fool, a thief, a harlot can drink; and so sinfulness of character is no bar to the invitation to believe in Jesus. We want no golden cup, no bejewelled chalice, in which to convey the water to the thirst; the mouth of poverty is welcome to stoop down and quaff the flowing flood. Blistered, leprous, filthy lips may touch the stream of divine love; they cannot pollute it, but shall themselves be purified. Jesus is the fount of hope. Hear the dear Redeemer's loving voice as He cries to each of us, "if any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink..."

As for my card, it's a bit like a package...I created a tri-fold card and held it closed with a belly band and twill ribbon. The inside image is from Sweet 'n Sassy and is available as a digi set; Light of the World. I kept my coloring simple, as well as my design, instead highlighting this wonderful text from John and showing off the great colors from the My Minds Eye (this line is called Be Loved). Enjoy today's card and be sure to visit the SALT blog for the other crafty goodness from the DT!