Receive God's Gifts!

Driving home from the mall the other day, my seven year old son blurts out, “Mom, you are the best mom in the whole wide world and I love you so much.”  My heart leaped with joy, but considering that he had been disciplined a few times that day, I curiously asked, “Why do you think that?”

I sheepishly confess that I anticipated a juvenile, unsophisticated answer, but his faithful response spoke volumes to me.  He said, “Because even though I was a little bit bad today, you still bought me something special.  It lets me know that you still love me and you’re not angry with me.”

As I chuckled to myself at his conservative opinion about being just "a little bit" bad, I was moved by his humble gratitude and complete understanding of where he still stood with me.  Even though his behavior was less than praiseworthy, he knew that my grace and mercy continued to embrace him.  Regardless of his faults, my love for him remains the same, similar to what is written in Psalm 100:5, “For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.”   

I don’t make a habit of presenting my children with gifts when they are disobedient, but there are times when I want to bless them with goodness no matter what mistakes they’ve made.  In doing so, it reminds me that God feels the same way about us as He tells us in Matthew 7:11 “If you, then, though you are evil, 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!”

Many of us do not come to God’s throne expectant or willing to accept His gifts because we don’t think we deserve them.  We either fear that He’s angry with us or we hold out on Him until we can “get our act together” or “put our lives in order.”  The truth is that no matter where we are (or aren’t) in our spiritual journey, none of us are worthy of God’s goodness, but He is still faithful to bless us because He loves us so much.  All we have to do is ask!  How simple is that?  God does not treat us as our sins deserve, rather He tells us that as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for us. 

I rest assured in this promise because despite all my iniquities, I look around and see constant blessings in my life.  No matter what I do, He is still the same loving, forgiving, gracious God.  He wants us to trust in Him the same way we long for our own children to trust in us. He desires that we stand before Him boldly and expectantly knowing that whatever we ask in His name, according to His will, He is ready to give.  Matthew 7:7-8 declares, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Your problems and circumstances are no surprise to God because He knows the end from the beginning.  He is completely able to identify with our sufferings because He, too, walked the earth, fully man.  He faced all of the same testings and trials that we do plus much more! “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” Hebrews 4:16

God did not come to condemn us for our evil ways.  Instead, He came to call us to repentance and bless us abundantly.  Our Heavenly Father is rich in mercy and grace and all that is good. So call upon Him today knowing that He is faithful to respond no matter how undeserving we are!

Vanessa