Gifts

Gifts

by Barbara Chadwick

I was standing at the jewelry counter looking at watches. Kenneth said, "I'll be back. You just get whichever one you want." The clerk, a tiny young lady, smiled, then chuckled and repeated, "You just get whichever one you want!" That's wonderful! I wish my guy would say that!"

I tried on one and then another and made comments. I like this about one and that about another and she repeated "You just get whichever one you want!" and she chuckled again and said, "You are very lucky." and I smiled and said, "Yes, I am. He likes to give me good gifts and tomorrow is my birthday. He said I could pick it out"

You know the Lord wants to give us good gifts too. He offers Joy and Peace, Love and Salvation and He says to us, "You just take whichever one you want. I love you and want to bless your life."

Sometimes we want to choose just "stuff". Have you seen the movie "Confessions of a Shopaholic?" Becky Bloomwood, the protagonist, can't walk past a store without being drawn in by the things advertised in the shop window. Her apartment is crammed with "stuff." There is hardly room to move around. She has even forgotten she had some of this "stuff".

Now, this "stuff" wasn't blessing her life. In fact, it was messing with her life. There was no joy, peace, love Or salvation in any of it. There was no room in her home for another thing and yet she couldn't stop herself from going into another store when her eye caught something she thought would make her life complete.

If our eyes could catch the vision of being in harmony with God and letting Him fill our hearts then our lives would be complete. Jesus says in John 15:9-11:

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17