Giving Gifts

This week is my son’s birthday and my husband and I have already gotten him his gifts. As I was driving home yesterday, I began to think about him receiving his gifts. I got a huge smile on my face as I imagined him opening his presents. It brought me joy just thinking about giving him his birthday presents and how happy they would make him.

I then began to think that God is such a better parent than me, and if it makes me that happy to give my child a gift – God must take such pleasure in us receiving the gifts He’s given to us. So, what are some of the gifts He’s given us? The gift of salvation is #1, of course. Ephesians 2:8 - For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift. Also, we know we have the gift of the Holy Spirit. John 16:7 - Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send Him to you.

I think most of us know about the gift of salvation and the Holy Spirit! However, do we know about the other gifts God has given to us? I know I would hate for my son’s birthday to pass and he not even know about or open the gifts I got for him. I bet God would like us to learn about the gifts He has for us so that the party on earth doesn’t end and we never opened our presents!

1 Corinthians 12:7-11

A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. But one and the same Spirit is active in all these, distributing to each person as He wills.

1 Corinthians 12: 27-28 - All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church:

first are apostles, second are prophets, third are teachers, then those who do miracles, those who have the gift of healing, those who can help others, those who have the gift of leadership, those who speak in unknown languages.

God has given each one of us special gifts. The thing about the gifts He gives is that we are not meant to keep them to ourselves. God gives us gifts to use to bless others and bring them closer to God. Life is so much more than getting up, going to work, eating, and going to bed! There’s God’s will to be accomplished on this earth and we need our spiritual gifts from Him to do that.

In verse 31, it says: But earnestly desire and zealously cultivate the greatest and best gifts and graces (the higher gifts and the choicest graces). And yet I will show you a still more excellent way [one that is better by far and the highest of them all—love].

The Bible says to desire these great gifts and to cultivate them. Let’s spend some time looking over the spiritual gifts in the Bible and asking God to show us what He’s given to us. As our eyes are opened to the gifts He’s given us, it is our responsibility to develop, nurture, and improve upon our giftings. Burying anything the Father gives to us is lazy and immature. A faithful servant will take what’s He’s given us, multiply it, and bring others into the kingdom with it!

So what are your gifts? :-)

Father God, thank You so much for the amazing spiritual gifts You’ve given me. If I would enjoy my children receiving gifts from me, I know You want me to receive the gifts You’ve given to me. By Your Spirit, I pray that You would show me clearly what my gifts from You are. Please help me develop and improve upon what You’ve given me so that We can work together to reach people with Your love!!

#gifts