This is the 4^th Sunday of Advent and the countdown to Christmas is almost complete.  The time of gift giving is nearly here.  The unwrapping of gifts is as thrilling for the gift giver as it is for one doing the unwrapping… if not more.  Paul ends his letter to the church at Rome with a doxology.  Was it a common practice to end letters in this way?  Hardly.  We are simply seeing Paul’s overflowing excitement about the good news of Jesus.  He is the bearer of the gift of the gospel and is thrilled to see it being “unwrapped” by the church members at Rome… thirty-three are named in this chapter.  May the thrill of giving and receiving gifts be ours this Christmas… especially the giving and receiving of the greatest gift of God having come to us in Jesus.