God's Perfect Gift

Begin with 2 minutes of Silence

Scripture: James 1:17

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Devotional Thoughts

By Cari Denherder

Do you have a favorite Christmas gift? All of mine are ones that I would have never thought to ask for. I love them for both what they are and what they represent – being known and loved. As the one who knows every part of us and loves us wholly and completely, God gave us the perfect gift - at the exact right time. That continues to be the best gift we will ever be given.

"As the one who knows every part of us and loves us wholly and completely, God gave us the perfect gift - at the exact right time. "

That gift wasn’t immediately recognized for who and what he was, though. The Israelites had an expectation of who the Messiah would be and what he would do when he came to earth. When he didn’t do things the way they expected, some didn’t see the gift that had come to all mankind. Instead they saw only a problem.

Sometimes, we can also be blinded by our own expectations of what a good and perfect gift looks like and miss the gift itself, especially if we look at situations the way our culture has trained us to.

When we take the time to pause every day and reflect on the gifts that God has given, starting with Jesus, it helps us retrain our brains. With continued practice, we are better able to recognize what may be hidden in a challenging situation or at least that there might be gifts that we’ll be able to see with time. It doesn’t remove the challenge or even make it easier, but it can help us navigate it better.

I’m learning to shift my question from “Why this?” to “Where’s the good in this or what good could be coming from this?”

Question to Consider

What is a gift that God has given you this year that you may not have recognized at first?

Prayer

God, thank you that you do not change and always give us good gifts. Give me eyes to see the gifts that come from you and what you are inviting me to in this season.

In Jesus’ name - amen.

End with two minutes of silence.