Bounding down the stairs Mark yelled excitedly, “Daddy! Daddy!” Skipping the last step, Mark leaped into his father’s arms. Holding his father’s face between his tiny hands, Mark eagerly asked, “Kistmas day?” Smiling his father replied, “No, son not yet. Here, hold up your hands. Each finger is a day. We have 10 more days to go.”
(THE NEXT MORNING)
“Kistmas day, Daddy?” asked Mark gleefully dancing. “Remember your fingers, Mark?” Mark held them up moving them around. “Hold still and let’s bend in your thumb. Now, there are 9 more days left until Christmas.” Mark wrinkled his brow staring at his fingers.
(THE 2ND MORNING)
With wide-eyed anticipation Mark looked up at his father, “Daddy? Kistmas?” Once again, his father explained. “We have 8 more days to go,” bending down two of Mark’s fingers.
Mark’s fingers popped up. Puzzled, Mark frowned and shook his head; “Kistmas?” His father turned to his wife, “I guess we need an advent calendar next year.” Laughing she replied, “No need. By then he should be able to count!”
This season of the year there is a lot of anticipation.
We anticipate celebrating Jesus’ birth, spending time with family and friends, holiday lights, and like Mark giving and receiving gifts. All this anticipation charges the atmosphere with joy and hope for good things.
DOES THAT REMIND YOU OF FAITH?
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not seen,
Hebrews 11:1
Like Christmas, faith hopes for good things, even when we have yet to see them.
Mark eagerly anticipated Christmas having faith for good things. Of course, it didn’t hurt that he spied his gifts under the tree. Seeing all those unopened gifts, did he still need faith? Yes! Mark still needed faith that his parents loved him enough to give him good gifts; not coal!
Do we anticipate coal?
No! Even if we haven’t been on our best behavior, we anticipate unwrapping good gifts. Why? Because like Mark, we have faith that the giver cares about us enough to give us only good things.
HOW ABOUT THE LORD?
We don’t need to wait for Christmas for a gift. He gives us gifts every day!
Each morning, we get to unwrap the gift of a new day. What other good things will we unwrap today? Perhaps meeting a new friend, getting revelation, something that makes us laugh, finding peace or seeing something beautiful.
Blessed be the Lord,
Who daily loads us with benefits,
The God of our salvation!
Psalm 68:19
Because the Lord loves us, we can have faith that His gifts to us are good.
If you then, being evil,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your Father who is in heaven
give good things to those who ask Him!
Matthew 7:11
ARE WE ANTICIPATING GOOD GIFTS FROM THE LORD?
IF NOT,
LET’S TRY A LITTLE MORE LOVE.
Understanding
how much the lord loves us,
gives us the faith
to anticipate good gifts from him.
HOW DO WE UNDERSTAND MORE OF THE LORD’S LOVE FOR US?
1. ASK FOR UNDERSTANDING.
The Lord wants us to ask for understanding so we can grasp the expanse of His love and be filled with all He has to give us, (Ephesians 3:17-19).
Ask, and it will be given to you;
seek, and you will find;
knock, and it will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives,
and he who seeks finds,
and to him who knocks it will be opened,
Matthew 7:7-8
2. READ AND SPEAK GOD’S WORD.
This reinforces the Lord’s love for us, helps us understand His nature of love and increases our faith that He wants the best for us.
So, then faith comes by hearing,
and hearing by the word of God,
Romans 10:17
3. COUNT OUR BLESSINGS1
On a hard day, that can be tough. But take a look around. Those who love us, a friendly smile, a solution to a difficult situation. These are some of the reminders of God’s good gifts that we can unwrap daily.
REMEMBER;
GOD’S LOVE FOR US IS UNCONDITIONAL!
No matter who we are or what we have done, God still loves us.
This is love:
not that we loved God,
but that He loved us and sent his Son
as an atoning sacrifice for our sins,
1 John 4:10 NIV
GOD’S LOVE INCLUDES WHAT IS BEST FOR US!
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,
says the Lord,
“Thoughts of peace and not of evil,
to give you a future and a hope,”
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
REFLECTION
In faith can you anticipate good gifts from God?
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, as I write Jeremiah 31:3 and say it aloud, implant more of Your love in my heart. Grow my faith so I can anticipate Your love and good gifts no matter what comes my way. In Jesus name. Amen.
IN FAITH ANTICIPATE GOD’S GOOD GIFTS
Comment!
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*For information on making Jesus Christ your Savior, email me or visit, http://www.peacewithgod.net/
1 Faith For THANKFULNESS – DianeLese
Photo tree, thandy-yung
Photo toes, Gabby Orcutt
