This is the time of year when people think of giving and receiving gifts. I don’t want anything because I am blessed and have what I really want. I appreciate more the love behind a gift, than the gift itself. My daughter asked what I wanted for Christmas, and I gave her a few modestly priced options. I don’t want to deny her a blessing, but last year she paid way too much for my gift. It was nice, and I appreciated the thought, but it was more than I wanted her to spend on me. My granddaughters have a very limited budget, and I know they will get me something from the Dollar Store. I will gratefully accept their expressions of love and the joy they get from giving.
I want to give special things to those I love but have long ago stopped trying to impress or out-give others. That isn’t the spirit of giving. My wife and I get so much throughout the year; it is hard to find meaningful gifts. Last year I bought her a laptop computer, and she was upset. She considered it like giving her an appliance. I learned my lesson and let her get what she wanted this year.
I just received a huge gift, and it isn’t even Christmas. A man stopped by our house and asked if he could inspect our roof for hail damage. Our roof was old, and I couldn’t afford to replace it, but the inspection was free. To my surprise, he said I had enough hail damage to submit an insurance claim. The insurance company agreed, and they paid almost nine thousand dollars to replace my roof. I thank GOD for that wonderful gift! I didn’t ask for it and couldn’t afford to pay for it myself but gratefully accepted.
How do I know that gift came from GOD? I recognize His work! He has blessed me with many wonderful gifts that I didn’t deserve. When I was a child and needed a home, He gave me Foster-parents who welcomed me into theirs. When I had no skills, He gave me a career in the Air Force. When I was lonely, he gave me a wonderful wife who was lonely too. When we needed someone to care for, he gave us a loving child. When I needed a second career and my wife wanted to travel, he gave me a job with the State Department that took us around the world. He even let me retire and move back home when we needed to be closer to family. Of all the gifts GOD has given me, none comes close to the gift of eternal life. When I needed a Savior, He sent His son to die on the cross.
Why did GOD give me these gifts? Because He loves me! “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16 KJV). How do I know He gave me all those gifts? “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things” (Romans 8:32 KJV).
So, what does that have to do with you? Notice, “GOD so loved the world” and it says “whosoever believeth,” so that means GOD loves you too and wants you to accept His good gifts. The first of many is the gift of eternal life.
Wayne Lance (2018) – That’s Good News to Share!