The Best Gift
There are many categories of gifts, but I will simple choose three: Good, Better & Best. There are times when you’re given a gift and you are simply blown away that the other person put so much thought and preparation into your gift. Then there are good gifts. These are gifts you really like. Most everyone likes to be given the best gifts. If all the gifts I was given were “white elephant” gifts or if they were all re-gifted things the other person didn’t really want, I wouldn’t feel very special – I would feel like I’m the yard sale guy.
The Lord doesn’t like second hand gifts. He wants to be the recipient of our best. He makes it clear in Malachi 1. Check this out….
6 The Lord All-Powerful says, “A son honors his father, and a servant honors his master.” I am a father, so why don’t you honor me? I am a master, so why don’t you respect me? You priests do not respect me. “But you ask, ‘How have we shown you disrespect?’ 7 “You have shown it by bringing unclean food to my altar. “But you ask, ‘What makes it unclean?’ “It is unclean because you don’t respect the altar of the Lord. 8 When you bring blind animals as sacrifices, that is wrong. When you bring crippled and sick animals, that is wrong. Try giving them to your governor. Would he be pleased with you? He wouldn’t accept you,” says the Lord All-Powerful. 9 “Now ask God to be kind to you, but he won’t accept you with such offerings,” says the Lord All-Powerful. (Malachi 1:6-9 NCV)I love getting gifts. I love knowing that the other person loves me enough to get me something that is special to them and bless me with it. I’ve loved it over the years when my kids were young and they drew special drawings for Dad. I love it when they watch how I live and move and try to make or buy something that will be a blessing to me for days, weeks and years to come. A well-thought out gift speaks volumes about the giver and the receiver.
The Lord wants my gifts for Him to be the best. He doesn’t want my left-overs. He wants my first-fruits. He wants the well-thought out and planned gifts. He wants to really high on my gift list. This is an area that I need to really grow in. When I give generously, I feel so blessed and grateful. There is no way to out give THE GIVER!
Pressing On! Dwayne