Bearing Gifts
Darrel Bird,
Very soon, the T.V. commercials
for every gadget imaginable will be in full swing. And many of us will gather,
bearing gifts to one another.
It is customary for my
family to gather at someone’s house Christmas Eve, first we let the kids open
their gifts, and then the adults open theirs.
On the signal, there is
the rattle and tearing of paper, the cameras flash as we try to capture
memories of the children on film opening some special gift they wanted, and
some they didn’t ask for. There is an old song that goes something like this,
“If I could put time in a bottle”. At those times gathered with my children and
grandchildren, I wish that I could put time in a bottle.
One thing about that is
for sure, no one refuses a gift, even if it is something we really can’t care
less for, we gracefully receive it from the hand of a loved one.
It is a passing moment, a
temporal thing, and the memory of it fades so quickly.
I wonder how the Lord
feels, He gave the gift of Jesus and many would not accept him.
Jesus gave the gift of salvation
and there are many who would not and will not receive it.
The Holy Ghost came
bearing gifts at Pentecost and there are many who does not receive him or his
gifts.
Our children appeal to parents
and grandparents for some special gifts and yet many of Gods children do not
seek the gifts the Holy Spirit has for his people.
Most parents get a
blessing from giving a special gift that a child has longed for.
Yet we do not seek the
best gifts from the heavenly father who waits to give these good gifts to his
children for the edification of all.
He came bearing gifts of
all kinds and those gifts are recorded in the gift of his Word. Jesus poured
out His blood that we might have those gifts as recorded in the book of Acts
and Corinthians.
Some say those gifts are
not for us today, and many do not receive because they do not understand that
the Holy Spirit has more for them.
Our children are showered
with gifts, they get more than what they ask for, and God can give us more than
what we ask for, and yet there are many who go along thinking salvation is all
that He has for us.
I wonder how the Lord
feels.
How would you feel if the children would only open one package, you tell them “Yes I purchased that for you, but look, I have these other gifts for you.” But they refuse to even look at beautifully wrapped gifts you spent so much time and effort to present to them.
Matthew 7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give
good gifts unto your children,
how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them
that ask him?
Corinthians I 12:1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you
ignorant.
I’m so sorry Paul, but this
world is steeped in ignorance of those spiritual gifts, we roll in ignorance
with pride like a sow rolls in mud.
We do without because of
unbelief and unawareness of gifts that were bought with a price.
The father waits for us
to seek the best gifts, and we turn up our nose at the thought.
We gladly accept the
gifts that are so temporal from the hand of a loved one and ignore the gifts
that are not temporal and from the hand of God.
We glibly quote Corinthians I 13:8 Charity
never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there
be tongues, they shall cease;
whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
We take this scripture to
the matt as excuse for not seeking them, but this scripture in no way means
there are no eternal consequences involved in our not seeking them.
Many souls may depend on
us having these gifts in operation and yet they remain unsought for by so many.
If we really have the
love that never fails we will seek all that God has for us with our whole
heart.
I don’t suppose I will
ever know how the Lord really feels about all this, I suppose if He let me to
know I could not bear it, but sometimes I just have to wonder.
The Father waits
longingly for us to ask, and He wants to shower us with good gifts.
John
