February 7, 2023 – Reflections on “The Greatest Gift!”

By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and He knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask, we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do what pleases Him. And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. Whoever keeps His commandments abides in God, and God in Him. And by this, we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. I John 3:19- 24.

A gift is something precious given to someone. The person to whom it is given will react in two ways: acceptance and opening the gift. Our Father, which is in Heaven, gave us His One and Only Son. Jesus Christ came to be our sacrifice for our sins by the shedding of His blood. He rose from His death on the cross and returned to His Father in Heaven. He left behind His Teachings in the Holy Word that we may continually open The Word of the Way, the Truth, and the Life. “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.” John 3:16-17. 

Who is this God? The three terms tell us who this God is: Omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence. God is infinite, existing outside of limits of time or space. Omniscience means unlimited knowledge, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.” I John 3:19-20.

Omnipotence means unlimited power. Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases. Psalm 115:1-3.

Omnipresence means God is always present. Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, You are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your Hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. Psalm 139:7-10.

Opening the Greatest Gift means that we believe and have faith in God and all He is. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For, by it, the people of old received their commendation. By faith,  we understand that the universe was created by the word of God so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. Hebrews 11:1-3.

What does our faith in the Greatest Gift lead us to? By faith, Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now, before he was taken, he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him. Hebrews 11:5-6.

The Greatest Gift comes with promises that make a difference in our lives when we believe, have faith in Him, and please Him.

“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:29-31.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7. “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13.

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus, the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:1-4.
The Holy Bible is really a story about all the gifts God has given us, beginning with choosing us to be holy or to be set apart for righteousness. We have a world to live in and breathe in. He created this world with light and named the stars. He created man, male and female, in His own Image. Genesis 1:27.

Then He taught us to love one another. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-3. This is what God’s Only Son taught.

All of God’s gifts have special meaning because they come straight from His great heart and good hands. The greatest Gift He gave us is His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ!