We receive a gift and what do we wonder? “What’s in the box,” of course!
Think of gifts that you have received. Which gifts were memorable?
Now, would you like to know what other people considered memorable gifts? Here are four such gifts.
- A 10-year-old girl wrote her parents a letter expressing her love and gratitude to them.1
- A woman received a poem of memorable moments written by her sibling.1
- A husband and wife received a lantern made from a mason jar, lights and wood crafted by an elderly couple.1
- My daughter, Jacquelyn, made me a DVD of our family and penguins, (my favorite animals).
What do all these gifts have in common?
I would say that they are all gifts of love.
They may be inexpensive; they may have been unskillfully made, but they were all gifts from the heart. Isn’t that what gift giving is about? Not about how much money we spend, but what we give with love?
One such gift, given in love, is the most memorable and meaningful gift on earth. It is not one we pull out of a box. It is not one we buy. It is not one we make. It is the gift that God gave us. A gift of love with a little faith sprinkled in.
Those who know the gift I am referring to, understand why it’s a gift of love. But, where does faith come in?
Since it was not practical to put God’s gift in a box and tie it up with a bow, it was delivered with the assistance of others. Who did God use? An angelic messenger and a human or two.
The key to God’s delivery was faith.
His assistants had to have faith in God to participate in His plan. Guess what? God also had to have faith that His assistants would participate.
Let’s check out the faith of God’s assistants.
ASSISTANT #1 ANGEL GABRIEL
Gabriel stands in the presence of God, (Luke 1:19), so he must be a very special angel. Now, I don’t know how angels think, but I assume they do God’s bidding unquestionably. At least since the rebellion. An angel like Gabriel would have had absolute unwavering faith to be honored with this special assignment.
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. Luke 1:26-27
ASSISTANT #2 MARY
And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.
Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.” Luke 1:31, 34-35
Imagine Mary’s thoughts in hearing this news…
But after the initial shock, Mary must have been humbled by the honor of God’s request and agreed to participate. Under such circumstances, what incredible faith Mary must have had to assist in God’s gift!
ASSISTANT #3 JOSEPH
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example,
was minded to put her away secretly. Matthew 1:19
What about Joseph? Imagine his thoughts…..
But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus,
for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20-21
Like Mary, Joseph must have had a strong faith to participate in God’s gift giving.
With the assistance of 2 faith filled humans and an angel, God gave His gift of love.
Who did God give this gift to?
The whole world!
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16
Just like God used the faith of Mary, Joseph and Gabriel to bring His gift of love to the world, He wants to use our faith to share His gift of love with others. It may simply be with a smile, a kind or encouraging word. Perhaps it will be by helping someone in need. Or it may be by pointing them to Jesus. God’s love may not be found in a box, but it is the best gift we could ever give!
During this season of giving, let’s all give a gift of love.
REFLECTION
Is there someone you can share a gift of love with this season?
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, as I write John 3:16 and say it aloud, give me the faith to share Your gift of love with others. In Jesus name, Amen.
IN FAITH GIVE THE GIFT OF GOD’S LOVE
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May your day be filled with love and laughter!
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1 Familylife.com
Photo children, Eli Pluma, unsplash
Photo world, Artapixel, pixabay
