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
Often you receive a Birthday Card and the Bible Verse listed above is in it.
It is on special occasions, like birthdays and anniversaries, that we receive tangible gifts.
We spend time with the loved ones who gave us the gifts.
But we know deep down the true giver of any gift is our great God.
I heard someone say, “what if you woke up with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?”
Though we try to remain grateful in prayer, often we quickly ramble off a few things.
What would it look like to do what the person suggested and give thanks to the God who is the giver of every good gift today?
What would you come up with?
Might your list look something like this?
# 1 GOD (HIS WORD/ THE TRINITY/JESUS CHRIST AND HIS SAVING GRACE) and all the spiritual riches that are included.
#2 Family (Spouse, Children with Spouses, Grandchildren, Extended Families)
#3 Freedom to Worship
#4 Health (Of us and our loved ones)
# 5 Home (All cozy and warm)
#5 Church Life/ Church Leaders/Church Family
#6 Food on the table
# 7 God’s care for Family, Church Family, Extended Family
#8 Work, Work for Family
#9 Recreation (Freedom to enjoy the blessings of good health.)
#10 Hot baths.
#11 And as my husband says… “I am thankful for everything.”
That just about covers everything then, right?
Why not make a list and try to come up with more than I did?
What did I miss?
The verse today is quite beautiful because it describes our gifts as good and perfect, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights.
Think of that for a moment?
The Father of heavenly lights; bestowed upon us His perfect gifts, meant specifically for us.
We are not to compare our gifts with others, oh no.
God gave us His perfect gifts.
And as you list them, and praise God for them, you become more and more aware of what you have.
One thing I could have and probably should have expounded upon is the spiritual gifts God has given us.
That list would encompass the entire blog.
Perhaps you have been reading along for some time. I believe we have listed many of the spiritual riches we do have.
There is always room to give thanks to God for exactly what He has given us in this the most important area of our lives.
Or individually we could do a study on what are our true spiritual riches in Jesus Christ?
It would be an endless list.
Especially when you think about the greatest gift grace and faith in Jesus Christ has given us and that is eternal life.
We have the gift of eternal life that gift goes on forever and ever.
Let us thank our Father of heavenly lights for all of this and more.
He is the one who lights our way. Our heavenly Father is our light. He gives us light. We are His light to the world.
Filled with heavenly light, we await the consummation of all gifts, eternal life with our Father, in the heavenly light, forever and ever.