http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2012:1&version=NIV
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+12:30&version=NIV
We all have them in our lives. They are the person who makes Christmas gift-buying difficult for us. If not impossible. They are known as ‘the person who has everything’. Yeah, you know the type. They have everything. Or about as close to everything as a human can get.
If they are female they already have all kinds of jewelry. And clothes. And shoes. They have all the kitchen appliances, big and small. And they have pictures. And knick knacks. And crystal. And all the other household accessories. If this person is a male they have all kinds of clothes. And boots. And a watch. They have all kinds of sporting stuff. Guns. Fishing rods. Skis. Sleeping bags. Backpacks. They have tools. And stuff for their desk. Yes, these people have so much stuff that it is very difficult to find something that 1) they don’t have, or 2) we can actually afford.
However, when we think about the one person who really does have everything, it is God. True, isn’t it? He owns the entire universe. And everything in it. So, what kind of gift could we possibly give to Him? To the one person who literally does have everything?
What do you think? The only thing we have to give, the only thing that He truly desires, is us. That’s right, you and me. It is the only thing He really wants from us. He wants our love. Our devotion. Our worship. Our service. And He doesn’t want to share us with anyone either. Or anything else. He wants all of us. All of the time.
As our all-powerful Creator, it certainly would be within His right to demand that we give ourselves to Him. Or maybe even to take it. Without our asking. But if God were to do either of these, what He had wouldn’t be a gift. Because a gift has to be given. Freely. From the heart. With no strings attached.
Unfortunately, the problem is, giving ourselves is the costliest gift for us to give. This is the reason why God values it so highly. It is of extremely great value to Him. Yet since it is so costly, this is very reason why we resist giving it to Him. It’s all we really have.
But God isn’t asking us to do anything that He isn’t willing to do Himself. That 1st Christmas God gave the gift of Himself to humankind. He held nothing back. It was the costliest gift He had to give. And He gave it freely. Unconditionally.
So this Christmas, in the midst of all our gift-buying & giving, let us endeavor to give God the greatest possible gift we can. The only thing that we have that is of any value. Us. Let us give ourselves to Him completely. On a daily basis. It is the only thing that we can give to the One who already has everything.
Lord, I thank you for the great example that I see in the Bible of giving. An example that I see in Christmas. And Good Friday. When You gave, You gave the very best that You had to give. Yourself. How can I give anything less in return? Take my life. All of it. Use it for Your glory. Today. And every day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If they are female they already have all kinds of jewelry. And clothes. And shoes. They have all the kitchen appliances, big and small. And they have pictures. And knick knacks. And crystal. And all the other household accessories. If this person is a male they have all kinds of clothes. And boots. And a watch. They have all kinds of sporting stuff. Guns. Fishing rods. Skis. Sleeping bags. Backpacks. They have tools. And stuff for their desk. Yes, these people have so much stuff that it is very difficult to find something that 1) they don’t have, or 2) we can actually afford.
However, when we think about the one person who really does have everything, it is God. True, isn’t it? He owns the entire universe. And everything in it. So, what kind of gift could we possibly give to Him? To the one person who literally does have everything?
What do you think? The only thing we have to give, the only thing that He truly desires, is us. That’s right, you and me. It is the only thing He really wants from us. He wants our love. Our devotion. Our worship. Our service. And He doesn’t want to share us with anyone either. Or anything else. He wants all of us. All of the time.
As our all-powerful Creator, it certainly would be within His right to demand that we give ourselves to Him. Or maybe even to take it. Without our asking. But if God were to do either of these, what He had wouldn’t be a gift. Because a gift has to be given. Freely. From the heart. With no strings attached.
Unfortunately, the problem is, giving ourselves is the costliest gift for us to give. This is the reason why God values it so highly. It is of extremely great value to Him. Yet since it is so costly, this is very reason why we resist giving it to Him. It’s all we really have.
But God isn’t asking us to do anything that He isn’t willing to do Himself. That 1st Christmas God gave the gift of Himself to humankind. He held nothing back. It was the costliest gift He had to give. And He gave it freely. Unconditionally.
So this Christmas, in the midst of all our gift-buying & giving, let us endeavor to give God the greatest possible gift we can. The only thing that we have that is of any value. Us. Let us give ourselves to Him completely. On a daily basis. It is the only thing that we can give to the One who already has everything.
Lord, I thank you for the great example that I see in the Bible of giving. An example that I see in Christmas. And Good Friday. When You gave, You gave the very best that You had to give. Yourself. How can I give anything less in return? Take my life. All of it. Use it for Your glory. Today. And every day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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