In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God; 3 all things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
(John 1:1-5)
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Our mind’s eye view of a gift may be on a Christmas morning as a child, looking excitedly with wonder and joy at all the presents under the tree, wrapped in beautiful paper and colorful bows, the glowing hues of tree lights and a shining star illuminating the room. Yet, life is not always the ornately wrapped gift that we await in anticipation and excitement to view. What we open and experience in our gift of life can involve difficult, tragic, heart-breaking circumstances with great suffering. Not the version of a “gift” we remember as a child.
What can we do when life is not the gift we want to unwrap, behold, and accept as our own with our name tag on it?
O God, thou art my God, I seek Thee,
my soul thirsts for Thee;
my flesh faints for Thee,
as in a dry and weary land where no water is.
2 So I have looked upon Thee in the sanctuary,
beholding Thy power and glory.
3 Because Thy steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise Thee. (Psalm 63:1-3)
“THY STEADFAST LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE . . .”
Through His steadfast love, the Light to guide us through the darkness of the difficult aspects of life is provided with the gift of this life. Christ dispels all darkness with His Light. We must turn to Him to find sanctuary, hope, and strength in His Light. When we do, the Light reveals gifts in life that we may have overlooked as we tried to deal with the struggles on our own. . .
Did we miss the sunrise, that promise of another day? Did we not hear the birds awakening the new day with song? Were we too overwhelmed with the difficulties in life that we missed the wonder of a child’s smile, then failed to notice our own joyful smile in return? Was the meal before us at the table not welcomed with thanksgiving? Did we not gaze with appreciation and awe as the flaming brilliance across the western sky closed the day to give us rest?
Every good endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (James 1:17)
And from His fulness have we all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:16-17)
This gift of life will include struggles, as we try to live as Christ lived. Yet, God’s grace is ever with us. His gifts are always good. To enter eternal life with Him, we must open the gift with our name tag on it—and live the life He has given to each one of us, living this life for Him and His purposes.
20 Now to Him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, 21 to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.
(Ephesians 3:20-21)
(Sharon G. Tate blog 03/08/2020) teacherforjesus.com Meditations on God’s Word