In this season of giving, what has your Father in heaven received from you?
Did smile-producing gifts come to Him from your heart this week just as smile-producing gifts came to you from your loved ones and friends?
These are questions that I must answer as well since you and I share the status of being among the “created” rather than being the Creator.
Yes, it’s true that our financial gifts to the work of ministry should be generous, including at least a tithe of our earnings.
And, yes, it’s true that our investment of time into volunteer service for the church and community should reflect the choice to genuinely sacrifice several hours of time weekly or monthly that our selfish side would rather devote to ourselves.
But doing for God is not all that He wants.
He’s hungry for our being His as well.
In fact, the Bible paints a beautiful word picture revealing that God’s deepest desire is for the trust of our hearts and hopes toward Him.
“His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.” (Psalm 147:10-11)
Grandparents adore their little grandchildren not because of how fast the kids can run or how much they can carry or because of how much of their allowance they spend on Grandpa or Grandma.
Instead, grandparents adore the little boogers because of how they enjoy sitting in Grandma’s lap or because of how they cling to Grandpa’s hand as they walk through the park or because of how they giggle when winning a board game the grandparents taught them to play.
Because of those heart-strong relationships, the kids have no fear of darkness or storms or barking dogs as long as Grandpa or Grandma is there.
You see, Grandpa and Grandma have always helped, always loved, always protected, always provided, always encouraged.
That’s why the little kids learn to put their hope in Grandpa’s and Grandma’s unfailing love.
And that’s why little kids who grow in that environment have a head start in forming the same type of trusting relationship with their Father in heaven.
I encourage you to recall the times when you’ve been blessed by the unfailing love of people in your life. Perhaps that will prepare/prompt you to put more hope in the unfailing love of One who has never failed.
And you just might be more willing to take the hand of a little kid who needs to experience a human example of unfailing love.
As always, I love you
Martin
