Challenge: Receive the Gifts!

On mother’s Day, our grandson, Jake, was quietly bothered that there were no gifts for his grandpas. When we got up to leave, Jake ran to his room, grabbed a couple of his best diggers, hurried back down and gave them to his grandpas.

It cost Jake a lot to give away two diggers. Jake loves his excavators, backhoes, and bulldozers. He treats them as if they are his children; he disciplines them when they act up, tucks them in at night, kisses and hugs them, and even plays with them.

G-pa and Papa treasure their new diggers because these gifts reveal the heart of the giver: Jake gave away what he loves because he loves his grandpas and wants them to know it. G-pa and Papa didn’t ask for diggers, they probably asked for a hug or a kiss good-bye, but they got diggers. Jake gave away that which was valuable to him because he thought it was the right thing to do.

God also gives away that which is precious to Him:

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. – John 3:16-18 (NLT)

G-pa and Papa had a choice when Jake handed them the diggers: they could accept or refuse his gifts. Believe it or not, they tried to talk Jake out of the gifts, but Jake wouldn’t have any of that. He insisted they take the diggers and keep them, “till you go to heaven because you won’t need them there; heaven already has the best toys.”

God, however, doesn’t insist on our taking the gift of his Son. He lets us choose. He tells us the consequence of refusing: judgment; but the choice is ours. We can choose to receive or reject any gift God offers to us. God also allows us the freedom to ignore Him over the summer. We know the consequence: we lose intimacy with God; but the choice is ours.

My challenge to you: spend time with God and receive the gifts that He is offering you this summer! And, while you’re at it, thank Him for all the gifts He has already given you.

In order to do this well, you must think of all He has given you: Life, breath, love, salvation – and those are just the beginning. Determine to acknowledge that everything you have is a gift of grace; that you haven’t earned anything. Recognize that even the things you might think you’ve earned are in reality gifts from God.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father…” – James 1:17 (NLT)

God has so many good and perfect gifts He wants to give you this summer, but you must be available to receive them. Will you come into His presence daily so that you can be surprised by the precious things He is waiting to give you?

 … and let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds…: — Hebrews 10:22-25(NIV)