BIBLE PASSAGE:
Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
(2 Corinthians 9:15)
MEDITATION:
Are you the type of person who enjoys receiving gifts? When we
think about gifts, we usually visualize something that is wrapped
with a bow on top. However, gifts can include a loving hug, a visit,
an encouraging word, or even running an errand for someone, just
to name a few.
Whenever a person is feeling down, a ‘gift’ can often lift their spirits.
The same is true when a person is stressed out or having a bad day.
No matter what kind of gift you offer to someone, it is not a gift to
them, unless they receive it.
There are some who would rather give a gift than receive one. Why?
Because they know the joy they can have themselves when they see
someone enjoying the gift they have been given. Think about a time
(or times) when you have given someone something just because you
appreciate the friendship you have with them.
It may have been a card you sent, an encouraging word you said
or texted them, a meal you gave them, or just a quiet hug you gave
them because you sensed they were having a difficult time and just
wanted to know someone cared.
There are gifts given routinely on occasions like on birthdays, weddings,
Christmas, new baby, etc. But when the gifts are unexpectedly given, it is
often an expression of a person’s unselfish love, concern and appreciation
for another person. It is exactly the kind of gift we received from Jesus;
the One we have chosen to follow and mimic His lifestyle and attitude.
God has given mankind the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. His gift to
us is only an ‘offering’ until we receive it – then it becomes a ‘gift’.
His gift is available for everyone, but God doesn’t force us to take
His gift, it is a gift from His ‘grace’ (giving us what we don’t deserve).
We may have our own ideas about how to receive His gift, but God
has explained what is required to ‘officially’ receive His gift.
We are told that when we have faith that Jesus is Who He says He is,
when we believe He died on the cross for our sins and was resurrected
three days later, when we confess our sins, and when we choose to
dedicate our lives to following Him (which includes giving Him control
of our thoughts, actions, and words), then we have ‘officially’ received
His free gift to us.
In addition, we prove that we have received His gift when we start
living a new life of righteousness. When we receive God’s gift, we
will have a desire to spend more time with Him, a desire to talk to
Him more (in prayer), a desire to read His love letters to us (bible),
a desire to worship Him consistently, a desire to obey His commands,
and a desire to serve Him in whatever capacity He has called us (we
will use the spiritual gift we received when we accepted His salvation
gift to us; our spiritual gift is a bonus we receive when we accept His
initial gift).
God knows the happiness we can experience when we receive His free
gift to us. It is a gift out of the love, mercy and grace from our God, the
Creator of the universe. If we refuse His gift, then we will miss out on
the joy of receiving His life changing gift, but we also miss out on His
forgiveness. The greatest and most devastating sin we can commit is
to – refuse God’s gift of love.
Some gratefully receive His gift and their lives are forever changed.
Others receive His gift and their lives are changed briefly, but they
soon forget what His gift of salvation encompasses (prayer, bible
reading, obedience to His commands, worshipping, sharing our
testimonies, etc.).
When we forget His gift, we can expect to have inner turmoil and
doubts about fully receiving God’s gift. Why? Because we fail to
have the desires expected of those who have received His gift,
and of those who have chosen to surrender their lives to Him.
What does it mean to surrender our lives to Him? Think about this:
When we read the bible, we see many instances where God spoke to
people through angels. When we are totally surrendered to the Lord,
we might be the ‘angel’ He wants to use to speak to someone.
Imagine the level of our surrender if we ignore or refuse to allow Him
to use us in this way. We might think we are being used by the Lord
when we reach out to those in our ‘inner circle’, but if we aren’t willing
to reach out to anyone other than our close friends, how much of our
life have we surrendered to the Lord?
Some choose to rewrite their own rules and guidelines for being
a recipient of God’s gifts. Rather than allowing God to purge sin
from their lives, they choose to ‘hold on’ to some sins and have
rationalized or justified that it’s okay to keep them.
But we must remember that when God calls something unrighteous,
what we do or think, cannot change His mind, His guidelines, or any
of the consequences of choosing to disobey Him.
And lastly, some refuse His gift and prefer to remain the way they
are. This may fulfill their selfish desires now, but there is going to
be a ‘payday someday’, when our eternity will be determined by
God. And when that happens, He won’t accept our opinions, or
the rationalizations we have used to justify how we have lived
our lives.
God has been very clear about the destiny of mankind. Man has
never, and will never be able to change what God has ordained.
Just as people are destined to die once, and after that
to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take
away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time,
not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are
waiting for him.
(Hebrews 9:27-28)
ACTION:
Which is the best description of you in regards to God’s gift?
– I received His gift and my life has changed;
He is more important to me than anything.
– I received His gift and some of my life has changed,
however I don’t believe I need to read the Bible, pray,
obey His commands, or worship consistently.
– It sounds like too many changes are required,
so I’ll just refuse His gift, remain the way I am,
and take my chances on His judgment.
Satan wants to convince us that our decision is not really that
important. But it’s not a game where we can make our own
rules; the choice we make is crucial, so we must choose wisely
and we must be within God’s guidelines for receiving His gift.
You need to persevere so that when you have done the
will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For,
“In just a little while, He who is coming will come and
will not delay.” And, “But my righteous one will live by
faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.”
But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are
destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.
(Hebrews 10:36-39)
But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then
choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…
(Joshua 24:15a)
Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for Your gift to mankind.
Help me to realize the importance of receiving Your gift
and experiencing the joy it can bring to my life. Forgive
me if I received Your gift but I have changed Your rules
to fit my own desires. Teach me the importance of having
a desire to live a life like the example Jesus gave us when
He walked the earth in human form. Help me to realize
that when I choose to become more like Jesus, it serves
as confirmation that I have fully received Your gift. Remind
me that Your gift includes Your forgiveness which not only
adds to my joy now, but assures me of an eternal life with
You at the end of my earthly journey.”
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