Quote: ”When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.” – Maya Angelou
Some Thoughts: Have you ever “regifted”? Be honest. It’s kind of a joke in our family because some of my kids get “gift cards” that they won’t ever be able to use. For example, twenty or so Starbucks cards…who drinks that much coffee?!
I’ve heard of families who send a dollar bill in their sibling’s birthday cards and the recipient sends it on to the next sibling to have a birthday. I’ve always thought that’s kind of a humorous “gift”.
Then there’s the gift-giving concept of “paying it forward”. The simplest way to define “pay it forward” is that when someone does something for you, instead of paying that person back directly, you pass it on to another person instead. One of the easiest examples of this is buying a coffee for the person in line behind you at the coffee shop and then they buy a coffee for the person behind them and so on. Have you ever been the recipient of that kind of gift?
Sometimes, the best gifts are the most humble. Knowing the thought behind the gift is what makes it so special. We’ve all been recipients of those.
Gift-giving is such a big part of this season. Yet we need to guard that we don’t become so busy choosing the perfect gifts or making sure everyone on our list has been “taken care of” with some kind of gift, that we forget the Ultimate Gift-Giver. We are recipients every day of “gifts” from our Heavenly Father. Sometimes we don’t even recognize them! I have been reminded over and over again in Christmas cards this year of the verse from James 1:17 – “Every good and perfect gift is from above.” It keeps “popping up” in different cards! Jesus Christ truly is a “good and perfect gift”. We have been given a great gift, the greatest gift ever, the gift of salvation! We continue to receive “good and perfect gifts” every day. May we become better at recognizing and acknowledging these gifts, even the most humble. We recognize the thought behind the gift. Our Father is always thinking of us.
Psalm 139:17-18 NIV – “How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand – when I awake, I am still with you.”
Let’s become great gift-givers and gift-receivers. This verse tells us how: “I will give thanks to You, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing the praises of Your name, O Most High.” (Psalm 9:1-2 TPT)
Give thanks. Recognize and give thanks for every “good and perfect gift” we receive from Him. We need to “re gift” by repeating and sharing our testimony with others. We need to “pay it forward”. We can never pay the Lord back for what He has given us…but we “pay it forward” by passing it along to others. In sharing our joy, others want to know the source of our gladness and joy.
Prayer: Precious Jesus, You are the source of my joy. You came to earth as the GREATEST gift ever, yet in the humblest way. I can never repay the gift of salvation! My sins have been great, but Your gift of grace is greater. Thank You. I will use every opportunity to “re-gift” by telling of how You’ve changed my life, and by showing Your love in as many ways as I can. My heart overflows with praise for You! I recognize Your gifts daily, and want to become even better at recognizing every good and perfect gift from You.
I end this prayer with some of the words from “My Tribute” by Andrae’ Crouch: “How can I say thanks for the things You have done for me? Things so undeserved, yet You gave to prove Your love for me. The voices of a million angels could not express my gratitude! All that I am and ever hope to be, I owe it all to You. To You (God) be the glory, to You (God) be the glory, to You (God) be the glory for the things You have done!” Amen.
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