Gracious Giver
My dad was easily one of the most generous gift givers I’ve ever known. He was that way my whole life. He was the sort of guy who would read a book and if he loved it … he’d buy 17 more to have on hand to give them away. That’s not an exaggeration either. He’d buy them in bulk so he could just give them away to anyone he thought could benefit. He would often even give me 5 to 7 copies as well so that I could have one for myself and then give the others away to people I knew. He didn’t just do this with books, he did it with all sorts of gadgets and gizmos. Big gifts, small gifts, fancy gifts, cheap gifts. You never knew what it would be or why, but the man loved giving gifts.
I’m willing to admit that sometimes he went so overboard with his gift giving that it could make you a little uncomfortable. However, as I got older, I really began to admire his generosity. I can’t really find the right word to describe the feeling it gives me when I reflect on it now. It’s a mixture of gratitude, pride, comfort, inspiration. My point is that there’s something compelling about having a dad who graciously gives.
So when I sit down and read Romans 8:31-34. That’s the phrase that leaps off the page to me. “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” Read that again. Let it speak to your heart that we have a God who graciously gives. What a compelling truth to reflect on during the Christmas season. One of the things I observed in my own dad is how much joy he felt when giving a gift to someone. He couldn’t help it. It’s how he showed his love. Now that I’m a dad, I can relate to that feeling in so many ways. For me, the excitement of the Christmas season is more connected to what I can give rather than what I might receive. Giving brings joy to the giver. How much more so then does God’s gracious giving bring joy to Him and to us?
I pray this truth becomes a word of encouragement and comfort for you this Christmas season. I pray that we could all look upon the birth of Jesus and see it as a resounding declaration that our Father in heaven graciously gives. May we also see that He does so joyfully. It is His joy to show us His love. He delights in bringing such a gift to us. He is eager to graciously give so that we might know His love. May it be His joy, and His gracious giving that defines this Christmas season. May we look upon this manger scene and find tremendous joy in knowing we have a loving Father who graciously gives. It may be hard to put into words, but I trust the gift of Jesus will create a mixture of gratitude, pride, comfort and inspiration. May the gracious giving of our Father be so compelling, that we can’t help but share it ourselves.
Praise God, for His gracious gift!