The Giver of Gifts

"If ye, then, being evil, 

know how to give good gifts unto your children, 

how much more then 

shall your heavenly Father 

give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?"

Luke 11:13

I came across this verse last week ~ in the King James, so I thought I'd give it to you that way.  I do love me some ye's and thee's every once in awhile! 

It caught my eye, because it's the Christmas season.  That word gifts just jumped out at me, I guess!  I love this verse all year round, though, because it speaks to me as a parent.  It's one of those verses that reminds me that no matter how much I love my Awesome and Amazing children, God loves them more.  And it reminds me that I am one of His children, too.  And He loves me. 

But this verse rings especially true as Christmas nears.  It's a time of gift-giving, and there's no one I'd rather give gifts to, than my kids.  This Christmas, as I've shopped for a variety of people in my life, no matter what store I was in, I saw something I wanted to get for one of my kids.  Sometimes more than one something.

But over and over again, I've had to stop myself.  We, like everyone else, have a finite amount of money, so the gift choices have to be made wisely.   This desire of mine, to give good gifts unto my children, makes me think of this verse, and how much our Father desires to bless our lives with, well, blessings.

But today, I had a thought that caused me to take this lovely awareness one step further.  I was in the hardware store ~ can I just tell you how much I love going to the hardware store?  Something always surprises me.  And there's a whole lot more girly stuff in there than there used to be.  Things for the home, or for gifts, that are fun to look at.  But when I was wandering down the aisle with kitchen gadgets, all of a sudden I thought how fun it will be to help my kids furnish their homes when they move out.  Now, of course, that won't be for years  ~ and I'm in no hurry for that next chapter ~ but I just pictured all the fun I'd have buying little things like for them. 

And more than just wanting to buy things for them, I feel a little like it's my privilege.  It almost feels like it's my right, with my husband, to be the one to give them certain gifts.  Does that make sense?

But as soon as I thought that thought, I thought, "I wonder if God feels that way, too".  He wants so much for each of us: a life of strength and grace toward others... a life of awareness of His power and sovereignty... a life of abundance, and forgiveness.  And as the verse says, the gift of the Holy Spirit ~ the height of love and comfort and guidance.

No one can give to us what He can give us.  No matter how much we love the people around us, we cannot give them what He can give them.  The gifts that He gives are His to give, and it's His joy to give.  If we, who are flawed and weak and selfish, love to give wonderful gifts to our children, how much more our heavenly Father?

~ "The Spirit of God has made me,

and the breath of the Almighty gives me life" ~

Job 33:4

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