What Kind of Crazy Person Would Deny Gifts?!

by Jenny

As parents, do we ever want to see our kids deny things we want to give them? I'm not talking "being humble" but more like on Christmas morning... We've shopped, maybe even gotten up at 3am to wait in line for hours, for gifts our children have mentioned, hinted, begged, circled, made several drafts of lists for these gifts they've wanted. We've given up things that we hoped for or would've loved to have to give these gifts to our children. All because we love them so much. Christmas morning comes and we're so excited to see their faces light up while opening the gifts we lovingly picked out for them, and then imagine them saying, "No thank you. I don't deserve it. I wasn't good enough for these. I know I asked for them but the more I think about it, I don't think I should take them. I really shouldn't have any gifts." As a parent, that would break my heart! (I'm not sure my kids would ever turn down a gift so maybe this analogy is flawed! wink wink) How much more sad and disheartened our Dad must feel when He has all these awesome gifts for me and I say, "I don't think you meant to give me all these. Some of these must be for your other "special good" kids. I'm really not good enough for any of these gifts..." It sounds ridiculous when I put it that way, but I know that's how I must sound to God...

This thought came to me in my journaling/devotional time, and later I searched for a verse to go with it. I can recall parts of scripture but have never been very good at remembering where they're located in his Word...I found James 1:17 "Every good and perfect gift is from above..." But I felt like I still needed more...Then I found Matt 7:7-11 (my paraphrasing) If you ask, you receive, if you seek, you find. If your son asked for a fish, would you give a snake instead? Even though you are evil, you know how to give good gifts to your children...How much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! And then in Luke 11:10-13, he reiterates that point but specifies "How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"  I am amazed each and every time the Holy Spirit brings me right to where I need to be and confirms the thoughts that come to me in my quiet time.