January is a birthday month in our family. So during December and January we have lots of celebrations. This caused me to think about “gifts” and especially the ‘gifts’ that our heavenly Father gives us. James 1:17 tells us that every good gift comes from God.
Luke 11:11-13 tells us that God is our Father who delights to give us, his children, gifts.
I remembered the story about a lady who received, on her birthday, from one of her children, a packet of bread flour. It was a very nice present. But she was a little surprised, because she didn’t have a bread maker. She wondered how she was going to use the present to it’s best value without disappointing the child. Of course, a few minutes later she opened a present from her husband and underneath the wrapping was a bread maker. The packet of flour became a very cherished and delightful present then and they made bread that same day.
I also remember hearing of a young boy who received a school uniform and items for the start of his school year as part of his birthday present. He was not impressed. He didn’t want to go to school and so as part of his rebellion against going to school he was determined to be dissatisfied and not enjoy his present. Eventually, he realised that he had to go to school. And then the present became very important and appreciated. (Life at school as a social outcast was a far worse scenario)
God gives us many gifts. Everyday is a gift from God. Every acquaintance, every circumstance, every joy and delight, every relationship, every experience, everything is from God.
Sometimes, when we receive a gift from God, we act like the people in these two examples.
Often we can’t see the point of the ‘gift’ that God has given us. To put it in the same picture as Christ uses in Luke:- The ‘fish’ looks more like a stone. We think it has little or no relevance for us and doesn’t really meet our need. But God knows what He is doing with our life. He gives us what is necessary for us. Sometimes we see the point of, and can use the gift,’ years after getting it. Have you ever gone through a particular circumstance and then some years later had the opportunity to help another person through the same circumstance. Your ‘gift’ came to good use. You started to see that the stone was really a fish after all.
Sometimes we won’t see the point until we get to heaven. God’s judgements are unsearchable and His ways passed finding out! (Romans 11:33). But even if we can’t see the point, they are still gifts from a loving God. They are still ‘fish’.
Sometimes we act in rebellion and don’t want the gift God gives us. Most complaining comes from this attitude. We actually think that the gift God has given us is going to do us harm. God is giving us a fish but we are acting as if it is a scorpion.
Have you ever thought “I just can’t cope with this.. family/this job/these children/this circumstance/this health problem … it is just too much for me”? What you are really saying is “I don’t want to deal/rebuke/forbear with sins or situations that are effecting my life at the moment”. You are treating the gift as the enemy when it is really your attitude or perception that is wrong. You are treating your ‘fish’ as if it is a ‘scorpion’
When I was a child I would laugh and shake my head when I read this verse. Even a young child knows the difference between bread and a stone or between a fish and a scorpion but as I think about my responses to God’s gifts I realise that my perception is not always so clear. (Or maybe I should say “My blindness is greater than I like to admit”)
Young Kayla, has been present at lots of our celebrations. She is quite delightful because she gets so excited with anticipation as she, or someone else unwraps a gift. We laugh at her and get as much enjoyment out of her delight in the surprise as we get from the surprise itself. Oh how we should be as little children in this. If only we could face every day excited with the anticipation of receiving new gifts from God’s hand. If only we could see each day as a gift from our Heavenly Father who delights to give us good gifts -Then we would face each circumstance, each experience, each relationship, each acquaintance with much joy and delight. Our praise and thankfulness to God would increase and our complaining and grumbling would decrease.
As well as glorifying God we would also bring more joy to those around us.
Luke 11:13 concludes “How much more will your Heavenly father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him”. Lets daily ask the Father to give us a special portion of the Holy Spirit so that we can clearly see His gifts for what they are and to delight in them as a little child.
