Good and Perfect Gifts

Posted On December 6, 2020

“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 NIV

The Christmas season is a time when we have gifts on our minds. My husband and I recently took our eleven-year-old daughter, at her request, to the store do her Christmas shopping. As she painstakingly counted her cash, she declared that she was glad she hadn’t spent it on herself because now she could shop for others. She chose a special gift for each family member, being careful to hide those for my husband and me under other items in the shopping cart. As soon as we got home with her treasures, she immediately wrapped them all and put them under the tree. Her obvious excitement shows that this year our youngest child has discovered what many of us already know: the joy of giving. As our loved ones unwrap the special things we picked out just for them, we can’t wait to see their reactions. We hope they receive our gifts with appreciation and delight. What we really want is to share our joy with them. God does the same for us. He has given us many wonderful gifts. He wants us to receive them and be filled with joy because of His love.

“Why did he do it? A shack would have sufficed, but he gave us a mansion. Did he have to give the birds a song and the mountains a peak? Was he required to put stripes on the zebra and the hump on the camel? . . . Why wrap creation in such splendor? Why go to such trouble to give such gifts? Why do you? You do the same. . . . You do it so the heart will stop. You do it so the jaw will drop. You do it to hear those words of disbelief, ‘You did this for me?‘ That’s why you do it. And that is why God did it. Next time a sunrise steals your breath or a meadow of flowers leaves you speechless, remain that way. Say nothing and listen as heaven whispers, ‘Do you like it? I did it just for you.'”

Max Lucado, Grace for the Moment

“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”

2 Corinthians 9:15 NIV

It’s easy to overlook or take for granted the amazing gifts God has given us. But just as we hope to show our love through the gifts we give, God wants to let us know how much He loves us and cares for us. He knows our needs and the longings of our heart, and He wants to bless us and delight us with His gifts. His gifts are so much more valuable than anything the world can give: He gives us strength when we are weak, peace in the midst of strife, love when we feel ignored, faithfulness, forgiveness, grace, hope, and so much more . . .

“Ever feel like you have nothing? Just look at the gifts [God] has given you: He has sent his angels to care for you, his Holy Spirit to dwell in you, his church to encourage you, and his word to guide you. . . . Anytime you speak, he listens; make a request and he responds. He will never let you be tempted too much or stumble too far. Let a tear appear on your cheek, and he is there to wipe it. Let a love sonnet appear on your lips, and he is there to hear it. As much as you want to see him, he wants to see you more. . . . You have been chosen by Christ. . . . He has claimed you as his beloved.”

Max Lucado, Grace for the Moment

When we’re tempted to settle for what the world can give instead of receiving God’s blessings, we are left feeling empty and disappointed. Only God can satisfy the longings of our heart. Only He can fill us. It’s easy to forget that sometimes. When we start feeling down about what we don’t have, let’s remember what we do have: the good and perfect gifts of God.

“He has filled the hungry with good things . . . .”

Luke 1:53 NIV

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God”

Ephesians 2:8 NIV

Of course, the most amazing gift of all is the gift of Christmas. God sent His perfect Son into this imperfect world to bring us salvation. Through Christ we have new life — eternal life. We didn’t do anything to deserve it. God did it because He loves us that much.

“Christ came to earth for one reason: to give his life as a ransom for you, for me, for all of us. He sacrificed himself to give us a second chance. He would have gone to any lengths to do so. And he did. He went to the cross, where man’s utter despair collided with God’s unbending grace. And in that moment when God’s great gift was complete, the compassionate Christ showed the world the cost of his gift. . . . He who was perfect gave that perfect record to us, and our imperfect record was given to him. . . . As a result, God’s holiness is honored and his children are forgiven.”

Max Lucado, Grace for the Moment

“So then, my friends, because of God’s great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer.”

Romans 12:1 GNT

In addition to the gifts He gives all believers, God also gives each of us unique talents, abilities, and spiritual gifts. We can’t do anything to earn these things, but we can thank Him and honor Him by using what He has given us to bless others. I recently bought a new Life Application Study Bible. In the notes for Romans 12:1-2, it says this:

“God wants us to offer ourselves . . . as living sacrifices — daily laying aside our own desires to follow him, putting all energy and resources at his disposal and trusting him to guide us. We do this out of gratitude that our sins have been forgiven. God has good, pleasing, and perfect plans for his children. He wants us to be transformed people with renewed minds, living to honor and obey him. Because he wants only what is best for us, and because he gave his Son to make our new life possible, we should joyfully give ourselves as living sacrifices for his service.”

In the most recent issue of Guideposts magazine, Carrie Underwood talks about the gift of music:

“It’s always been one of my favorite carols — ‘Little Drummer Boy.’ You know the story. He wants to bring a gift to baby Jesus, but he’s poor. He doesn’t have shiny, pretty, special things as the wise men do, with their gold, frankincense and myrrh. What can he give the newborn king? He turns to the one thing he knows he can do, the thing he does best. Play his drum. That’s the gift he gives to Jesus. The gift of music.”

She goes on to discuss her new Christmas album, which includes “Little Drummer Boy.” She asked her young son to sing with her on this song. Not quite old enough to read, he worked hard learning the lyrics and practicing his part. The day they went to the studio to record it, her son dressed himself in his Sunday best:

“He came down the stairs in his jeans that he wears to church, a button-down shirt and a little black fedora. . . . ‘Wow, you really dressed up this morning, buddy,’ I said. ‘I’m gonna go sing for Jesus,’ he replied, ‘so I wanted to look nice.’ Bringing our best to Jesus — we can all do that. What talent, passion or treasure makes you who you are? It might seem small, like that baby in the manger, or insignificant, like a boy playing a drum, but you never know until you share your gift, a gift that can help shine love’s pure light on the whole world this Christmas.”

Carrie Underwood, “Love’s Pure Light”

This week’s Scripture passages focus on God’s gifts. There is a printer-friendly pdf version below the image. I have also included a video of “Little Drummer Boy” performed by the group GENTRI. Their presentation of this song underscores Carrie Underwood’s reminder to us: “Sometimes you don’t realize how powerful a gift is till you share it.”

“Each of you has received a gift to use to serve others. Be good servants of God’s various gifts of grace.”

1 Peter 4:10 NCV

References:

• Chronological Life Application Study Bible, New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2012.
• Lucado, Max. Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. J. Countryman, 2000.
• “‘Little Drummer Boy’ (Official Music Video) | GENTRI.” YouTube, uploaded by GENTRI, 22 November 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EaAmXwituc.
• Underwood, Carrie. “Love’s Pure Light.” Guideposts, December/January 2021, pp. 24-28.

Images:

• Christmas Gifts featured image by StockSnap from Pixabay
• Light Tree image by 32games from Pixabay
• Winter Sunrise image by David Mark from Pixabay
• Christmas Cookies image by silviarita from Pixabay
• Christmas Star image by Jeff Jacobs from Pixabay
• Drum image by M W from Pixabay
• Gifts image by Michael Schwarzenberger from Pixabay