Everything Is a Gift

By: Jennifer E. Jones, 1.cbn.com

I watched a film recently that began with the quote: “Everything is a gift from the universe.” Non-believers can grasp at straws when it comes to acknowledging higher powers, but as Christians, we know God through a relationship with Jesus Christ. So when that quote was lingering in my mind long after the movie was over, I got to thinking about God as the ultimate gift-giver and how different those gifts look when we know what they are and where they came from.

We commonly think of gifts when it comes to birthdays and special occasions. If we were to make a list, it might include the car in the driveway with the giant red bow on it, the diamond tennis bracelet, or even a greeting card full of cash. Who doesn’t like a tangible display of affection, especially if it was a little expensive? I can tell you one person who doesn’t … a small Southern woman I happen to know and love.

My mother was the first one who got me out of thinking like a material girl every time a gift-giving holiday came around. For her birthday, she would write a short wish list. One item on her list was volunteering to make dinner. Another was giving her a hug every morning before we left for school. It was the simple things that she treasured and it taught us the things with the greatest value are often without a price tag.

When you think along those lines, the idea of God being the giver of gifts isn’t too far-fetched. And it goes beyond the big-ticket items of life like getting married or having children. If you count the small things, you are surrounded by presents every day.

One day, from morning until night, I’d like you to count your blessings. Carry around a little notepad and write them all down. For example, today, I woke up gently without an alarm in my warm, fluffy Queen-sized bed. That’s one. My breakfast of almond crepes with lemon curd turned out perfectly tasty. That’s one. A wise, wonderful friend came over for coffee later on in the morning. That’s three blessings in the first hour and I hadn’t even left the house yet.

You see where I’m going with this? If you note every moment of happiness placed in your life, you’ll see that you unwittingly unwrap hundreds of gifts throughout your day.

King Solomon understood rejoicing in the little things. Sure, he had a vast kingdom with more toys to play with than anyone could enjoy in two lifetimes; however, he was quick to note that it was all “vanity” (Ecc. 1:2). If anything, he found joy in much of what anyone can indulge.

So I think we should get as much out of life as we possibly can. There is nothing better than to enjoy our food and drink and to have a good time. (Ecc. 8:15a, CEV)

Be happy and enjoy eating and drinking! God decided long ago that this is what you should do. Dress up, comb your hair, and look your best. Life is short, and you love your wife, so enjoy being with her. This is what you are supposed to do as you struggle through life on this earth. (Ecc. 9:7-10)

Part of the fall of man is a predisposition to focus on the negative, and let’s be real, there’s plenty of that to go around. One bad minute can ruin your whole day. But what would it look like if we collected all the good and see how it outweighs the bad? Just the little things. If you need inspiration, think of the character, Maria, from The Sound of Music. When trying to cheer up the frightened von Trapp children during a storm, she sings about her favorite things that include raindrops on roses and warm woolen mittens. It’s cheesy as musicals are supposed to be, but the point of the song is finding joy in simplicity.

Everything is a gift from God, and knowing that He loves us this much leads us to nothing less than gratitude and deep devotion.

The Perfect Gift

DECEMBER 6, 2019

Jenny Wheeler, Author, proverbs31.org

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17 (NIV)

Ever since I was small, I’ve been enamored with the Christmas season. Family getting together from near and far, hopes for a wintry blanket on Christmas morning, twinkling lights, the smell of a freshly cut tree, hot cocoa … I love all the things and all the events and all the details.

Not that it’s all gumdrops and sugarplums.

Warm, fuzzy feelings can easily get avalanched by added stress or busyness. And wonderful family gatherings can quickly go from fun to done. So, it’s not surprising that I found myself just a tad grumpy, sad and overwhelmed one rainy Tuesday night in December as I drove from work to church.

Usually I’m a planner who finishes my gift shopping by October and gets my tree up by the day after Thanksgiving, but life’s cadence had been a frenzy that year. I found myself in a rush to get the church decorating done.

Stuck in endless traffic with the glare of red brake lights piercing the night, my mind began to race. How ironic that I’m headed to God’s house to put up the tree and decorate, yet my own home is tree-less and looks more like the Grinch lives there.

Honestly, we didn’t really have the money for a fresh tree that year. Frustrated and deciding it wasn’t even worth the hassle to get one, I uttered a plea-filled but half-joking prayer: Dear God, why can’t You just send me a tree? I know You have better things to do, but …

What a dumb and selfish prayer, I thought. Have you ever heard of anyone just showing up at a stranger’s door with a free tree two weeks before Christmas? Besides, with your stinky attitude, you don’t even deserve a tree, girl.

But like that very first Christmas, sometimes miracles show up in the middle of the mess.

The next morning, a co-worker stopped by to ask if a lady who had a free tree could drop it off, thinking maybe someone would want it. She said it was a gift, but they didn’t need it, so she thought a staff member might.

My heart raced as I suddenly remembered that silly, half-muttered prayer from the night before. Then as quickly, I began to wonder if it could really be God, my mind rifling through all the reasons it surely couldn’t be for me.

Someone else must need a tree … I can’t be selfish and say I want it before asking anyone else.

By early afternoon, the donated tree was in my car. And guess what? God outdid Himself! It was a beautiful Fraser fir, tall, fragrant and full — exactly what I would have picked out three weeks earlier.

It was perfect.

A familiar verse welled up in my heart as tears began to fall: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17).

I heard Him loud and clear. God had graciously (and unexpectedly) sent me a Christmas tree. I did nothing to earn or deserve it. It simply arrived, just in time.

And that’s exactly what happened the very first Christmas. But unlike my casual prayer one rainy Tuesday night, there was nothing accidental or half-hearted about God’s provision for us, friends! The Savior of the world showed up in Bethlehem, wrapped in flesh, cradled in a manger, later sent to hang on a cross.

Christmas had come. And it was the perfect gift.

I’ve learned well in my time on earth that God doesn’t always answer the way we pray or precisely how we want. But every now and then, sometimes when we least expect it, God provides a tangible reassurance of how very much He loves and cares for us. And as we approach this Christmas season, may we remember: The perfect gift is already ours through Christ.

Kindness Changes Everything

Stephen Witmer , Author, desiringgod.org

Kindness is underrated. We equate it with being nice or pleasant, as though it’s mainly about smiling, getting along, and not ruffling feathers. It seems a rather mundane virtue.

But the Bible presents a very different, and compelling, portrait of kindness.

Kindness Is Supernatural

When Paul laid out his case to the church in Corinth that he was a true apostle, he did so by detailing the trials he endured for the sake of the gospel, the inner spiritual life God granted him despite this suffering, and the God-produced spiritual fruit in his life (2 Corinthians 6:1–13). Surprisingly, kindness made his list of spiritual fruit. “You want proof I’m an apostle?” he said, in effect. “Okay, here it is: I’m kind.”

True kindness is Spirit-produced (Galatians 5:22). It’s a supernaturally generous orientation of our hearts toward other people, even when they don’t deserve it and don’t love us in return. God himself is kind in this way. His kindness is meant to lead people to repentance (Romans 2:4), which implies they haven’t yet turned to him, and are still his enemies.

We imitate God’s kindness, therefore, by loving our enemies. Jesus said, “Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil” (Luke 6:35). Our kindness reflects the heart of our Father. “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).

Kindness may not be pleasant. In fact, it may feel more like a blow to the head. “Let a righteous man strike me — it is a kindness; let him rebuke me — it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it” (Psalm 141:5). Jesus called the Pharisees a brood of vipers. That wasn’t pleasant, but it was kind, because Jesus was exposing their sin. A kind physician cuts deep to get your cancer.

Kindness Is Powerful

In her memoir about the journey from being a committed lesbian to a committed Christian, Rosaria Butterfield says that, as a non-Christian, her impression of evangelical Christians was that they were poor thinkers, judgmental, scornful, and afraid of diversity. After publishing a critique of an evangelical Christian group in her local newspaper, she received an enormous volume of polarized responses. Placing an empty box in each corner of her desk, she sorted hate mail into one and fan mail into the other.

Then she received a two-page response from a local pastor. “It was a kind and inquiring letter,” she says. It had a warmth and civility to it, in addition to its probing questions. She couldn’t figure out which box to put the letter in, so it sat on her desk for seven days. “It was the kindest letter of opposition that I had ever received.” Its tone demonstrated that the writer wasn’t against her.

Eventually, she contacted the pastor and became friends with him and his wife. “They talked with me in a way that didn’t make me feel erased.” Their friendship was an important part of her journey to faith.

Are We Kind?

The biblical witness and Butterfield’s testimony should make us wonder how we’re doing. Are we generously inclined toward those around us, or do we think and speak harshly to, or about, them?

For some of us, watching sports, or talent shows (like The Voice), provides an opportunity for airing harsh opinions on physical appearance, ineptitude, or lack of talent. Our verbal slashes too easily become part of the entertainment itself.

For some of us, the daily commute becomes a crucible of kindness. Am I generously inclined toward other drivers, including the guy who just cut me off and the other one who’s tailgating me?

Some of us have to admit that we too often twist the verbal knife of cruel sarcasm, saying what we don’t mean in order to drive home more deeply what we do.

Kindness is no small thing. It yields marvelous fruit both in our lives and the lives of those around us. “Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor” (Proverbs 21:21).

We open ourselves to the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit when we ask him to produce in us kind hearts that overflow through kind lips.

No Condemnation

Arthur Schoonveld, Author, reframemedia.com

 

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 15:20-28

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. — Romans 8:1

One evening, after a Bible discussion at a local rescue mission, a young resident asked me if we could talk. He told me about some of the things he had been involved in and how he had made a mess of his young life. With tears in his eyes he asked me if God could ever forgive him. His guilt was tearing him up inside.

Guilt can rob us of our peace of mind and take the joy out of our lives. In Psalm 32 King David outlines what guilt did to him—and what it can do to any of us. David writes, “When I kept silent [in the guilt of my sin], my bones wasted away . . . . Day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped . . . .”

But because of Jesus’ resurrection, we can get rid of our guilt. We don’t have to go through life looking over our shoulder, afraid that our past will catch up with us. We don’t have to live with guilt; we can get rid of it by confessing whatever we have done.

The apostle John affirms, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins” (1 John 1:9). The apostle Paul says virtually the same thing: “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

If you are burdened with guilt, come to the Savior, confess, and ask for forgiveness. If you don’t know how to pray, ask someone to pray for you. There’s forgiveness for all who come to him.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for paving the way so that we can be forgiven. Forgive our sins today, we pray, in your name. Amen.

God Heals a Broken Heart

Annika Young, Author, 1.cbn.com

“I usually get up pretty early in the morning, spend a little time with my husband, and then we will go spend an hour either taking a 5-mile walk, doing the elliptical, or swimming 70 to 100 laps. I try to get at least an hour of cardio six days a week.”

Chris has always taken pride in staying in shape. But there was a time the exercise could have killed her. She remembers the first time there was a sign of trouble.

“My husband and I were out taking a walk. It was a fall night. And I rounded a corner and I doubled over with horrible chest pain. And we both just looked at each other and said, ‘What was that?’ And it died down and just continued with the walk.”

Chris was reluctant to see a doctor. She lived with the pain, which at this point was infrequent.

“It was something that would happen maybe first thing in the morning or taking a breath of cold air, and then the rest of the 23 hours were fine.”

But over the course of 10 years the problem grew worse, and could no longer be ignored.

“It was happening more often, it was becoming stronger, the intensity was stronger. And it was more life interrupting.”

Finally Chris went to the doctor, and was diagnosed with Vasospastic Angina disorder, a condition where the blood vessels tighten around the heart.

“I came home and read about it and was shocked to find out that one of these episodes could actually cause a massive heart attack and could kill me.”

Chris was told she’d just have to live with it. And that’s what she did for the next two years.

“He told me to keep up my exercise. He said to start with 10 minutes of very easy exercise, to go very slowly and to basically go home and live your life. ‘I can give you some medication for the pain, which I rejected but he said there’s nothing I can do for you. Just go home and live your life.’”

One morning after a work out, Chris was watching The 700 Club, something she’s done faithfully for the past 30 years.

“And I usually always stop and pray when Pat’s praying for people or Terry’s praying for people. And Pat stopped and he said, ‘the Lord’s healing all kinds of heart conditions.’ And I thought, it just –instinctively the Holy Spirit spoke to me. And I raised my hand and put my other hand over my heart and said, ‘Lord, I’ll take that, I’m accepting that, I’m claiming that one for me.’ And went about my business. Months went by. No pain. Gone. Completely healed.”

It’s been a year now and Chris tells her doctor she’s still symptom free. She’s also back to doing the things she enjoys, workouts on the elliptical, laps in the pool and morning walks with her husband Dave.

“I’m living my life. But I’m living it a lot better without pain. And knowing that the Lord had healed me and it’s just another testimony to Him.”

No Longer Unloved

Arlene Pellicane Author, proverbs31.org

“Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Jacob was in love with Rachel … ” Genesis 29:17-18a (NIV)

When I was in high school, I watched romantic movies and woefully cried out to God, “Please give me a boyfriend!”

I believe we all crave love and affection. It’s a God-given desire that’s been around for ages.

Just go back to the book of beginnings — Genesis — and you’ll find many love stories. Consider Leah and her popular sister, Rachel. Leah was the older sister (who wants to be introduced as old?) whose eyes were weak and delicate. This signified her sight was weak or that her eyes lacked luster and beauty.

She was the opposite of her younger sister Rachel who was “beautiful of form and appearance” (Genesis 29:17, NKJV). She would have been the girl on Instagram with the perfect figure. Talk about cause for sibling rivalry!

Perhaps you’re familiar with the ironic twist on Jacob’s wedding day. Jacob wanted to marry the gorgeous Rachel, so he worked for seven years to earn her hand in marriage. But on his wedding night, he was not given Rachel. He was given Leah, and amid the dark (and possibly drunken) chaos of the wedding celebration, he had no idea until morning that he married the “wrong” sister.

The explanation? Laban, the girls’ father, had given Leah in marriage because it was the custom for the older girl to marry first. Jacob could have Rachel if he worked for Laban another seven years.

We often pity Jacob who got duped into working an extra seven years, but what about Leah? Can you imagine waking up after your wedding night to discover sheer disappointment in your new husband’s eyes when he sees it’s you, not your beautiful, younger sister? That must have been so humiliating and devastating.

Genesis 29:30 tells us Jacob’s love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. Yet when the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He enabled her to conceive while Rachel remained childless. With every son, Leah thought her husband’s heart would turn toward her.

With her first son, Reuben, which means “Look, a son,” Leah said, “Surely my husband will love me now” (Genesis 29:32b, NIV).

With her second son, Simeon, which means “Heard,” she declared, “Because the LORD heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too” (Genesis 29:33b, NIV).

With her third son, Levi, which means “Attached,” she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me” (Genesis 29:34b, NIV).

Do you hear her continued pain at being Jacob’s less-loved wife? The joy of motherhood was shadowed by grief from unreciprocated love and loyalty.

Finally, something changed with her fourth child, Judah, which means “Praise.” When she gave birth, instead of longing for her husband’s love, she said, “This time I will praise the LORD” (Genesis 29:35b, NIV).

This time I will praise the Lord.

In all our striving and longing for love, may we stop and declare with Leah, “This time I will praise the LORD.” When we praise God first, we find all the love in the world at our disposal.

Out of the tribe of Judah came the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Sure, Jacob had 12 sons, but which one does Scripture mention in Jesus’ lineage? Only Leah’s son, Judah: “Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers …” (Matthew 1:2, NIV).

From the lineage of an unloved woman, second best and the object of her sister’s scorn came the Messiah. God saw Leah … and loved her. May we, too, stop nurturing our feelings of rejection and instead, turn in praise to the God who can fix it all.

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me and always seeing me. I’m so grateful I am not invisible to You. You call me the apple of Your eye, the crown of creation, friend and beloved. I will echo Leah and declare that, “I will praise the LORD.” You are worthy of all praise, blessing, honor and glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

How to Hold on to Hope in the Dark

ALICIA BRUXVOORT

“My soul is in deep anguish. How long, LORD, how long?” Psalm 6:3 (NIV)

He was at my bedside once again, the hot breath of his raspy whisper hovering quietly over my pillow. “Mommy, I’m awake. Can I get up now?”

I persuaded my eyes to open and peered at my son through a sleepy haze. ���No, honey,” I responded with gentle sureness. “It’s not morning yet.”

I didn’t need to look at the green glow of my alarm clock to know it wasn’t time to rise and shine. This fourth-born of mine was a night-gallivanting suitor of the sunrise. And for a short (but grueling) season of his childhood, he consistently rose at 3 a.m. and clamored to begin his day.

I slid my feet out of bed and placed my hands on my son’s slender shoulders. I steered him down the hallway to his bottom bunk and tucked him beneath the blankets with a kiss and a prayer. Then I implored him to snooze until sunrise.

But when the hours stretched long and his patience wore thin, my sleepless one returned with a whimper and a wail.

“Will morning ever come?”

I looked at that little silhouette from my bedside, framed in a shaft of moonlight and felt a wave of empathy wash over my weariness.

I’ve asked that same question in the darkness before. Maybe you have, too …

When a diagnosis plunges us into the unknown; when the sting of rejection leaves us scarred and alone; when our best dreams shatter and fall apart; when fear imprisons and worries flood our heart … we find ourselves wrestling with our questions in the darkness of disappointment and despair. And we wonder …

Will peace ever trump this pain?
Will joy ever replace this sadness?
Will beauty ever grow from this brokenness?
Will morning ever come?

It’s in these “long nights of the soul” where we can find great comfort in Scripture, especially the book of Psalms. Through these words, we peer into the hearts of other wrestling souls and hear the timeless echoes of our own impatient cries.

“My soul is in deep anguish. How long, LORD, how long?” (Psalm 6:3, NIV)

“How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?” (Psalm 13:2, NIV)

“How long must I wait?” (Psalm 119:84a, NLT)

But the Psalms offer more than empathy when we’ve reached the end of our rope. These sacred words suggest a strategy for holding on to hope.

“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.” (Psalm 143:8, NIV)

“But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress.” (Psalm 59:16, NLT)

The timeless truth of the Psalms remind us our hope doesn’t hinge on the surety of the sunrise, but on the fidelity of the Risen Son.

God’s Word reminds us that even when our circumstances sway, Christ’s love remains the same. (Romans 8:38-39) Though our faith may waver, His faithfulness won’t. Hope flourishes when we shift our gaze from the darkness that surrounds us to the Love that encircles us. And there, in the certainty of His love, we find peace for the present and strength for the days to come.

The stars still hung in the dark sky above us, and my son’s question still hung in the silent space between us.

So I pulled my worried boy beside me and assured him the night would not last forever.

Then I hummed a little song from Sunday School in his ear, and he murmured those simple words of faith with me in the darkness. “Jesus loves me, this I know …”

And together, we waited expectantly for morning.