Something pretty powerful occurred to me today. Have you ever had that happen? Where your jaw drops in realization of this awesome thing that has been there all along but you are beholding for the very first time? I've had the privilege of being in a creative environment lately, fostering ideas that are ripe for the picking. But this one today was a by-product of none other than the Holy Spirit Himself revealing deep truth to my heart. I've been overwhelmed lately with our GENEROUS and GRACIOUS God who apparently cannot help but GIVE. It seems that every time I open my Bible I read something like, "And the Lord GAVE..." Over four hundred times in Scripture giving is associated with God!!!! That is seriously significant. It's almost like it's central to his character or something. Christmas spiritually (I won't say naturally because that just isn't true) brings out this concept especially when we consider the Gift of Jesus Christ. We reflect His Gift in giving gifts to others. What occurred to me today is that EVERY SINGLE GIFT IS DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO SOME SORT OF SACRIFICE. When we give to others, we sacrifice our time, our money, our talents, sometimes our sanity for that one moment of appreciation or at least acknowledgement by the ones we are desperate to show our love toward. Show me a gift and I'll show you the sacrifice. Giving always costs something. I know, I know, call me Captain Obvious. But this should make a difference. Isn't it embarrassing when you leave the price tag on a gift you've given (or worse on one you've received)? We feel that the sacrifice should be kept a secret because it somehow suggests the value we've assigned one we love. In the case of our GIVING GOD, the price tag left on His gift is "My Son, Jesus Christ." Only He left it on His gift so we would know; He was not keeping it a secret. Do we appreciate this Gift, this Sacrifice in the same way we receive a gift from a friend or family member? We appreciate it for this one moment in time, during this season of the year but seldom show our joy and thanks at any other moment. Don't you want things to be different? I do. I want to enjoy the thrill of opening up His Gift every day so His sacrifice is ever on the forefront on my heart. It's hard to keep His sacrifice a secret when it resides on the tip of my tongue. Some days I might open it up slowly, savoring the pleasure of His grace. Other days, I shred the paper like many kids will do over the next couple of days to get to it as fast as I can so I can begin enjoying it ASAP. However I open it, the point is that I do. I want to remember, delight and revel in His Gift. For His Gift(Read Sacrifice) SAVED MY LIFE. This idea of sacrifice leaves me speechless when I stand before GRACE Himself in the same way that my worthlessness makes me kneel in light of His HOLINESS. Take time this year to be still and know that He is the GENEROUS and GRACIOUS GOD, who offered the willing SACRIFICE of His Son for you, undeserved one loved by a KIND and LOVING FATHER.
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Brittany Van RynWorking out thoughts with HIM. Archives
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