Just before Christmas, I read an article about “re-gifting” – you know, “blessing” others with gifts that didn’t turn out to be such a blessing to us. I have to say it made me a bit paranoid, as I was smack dab in the middle of holiday shopping.
“I wonder if any of the folks I’m buying these gifts for will end up foisting them on someone else?” I thought with a cringe.
I’m often way too practical for my own good when it comes to giving and receiving gifts. My inner cheapskate absolutely hates to think that money has been wasted on gifts that might not be useful, or at least fun.
Sure, I know “it’s the thought that counts.” But c’mon — tell me you haven’t peeked into the dark recesses of your cabinets and closets and wondered what on earth someone was thinking when they gave you that automatic egg-peeling gizmo, the “Disco Hits of the ’80s” CD, the tacky sweaters that make you sweat just thinking about wearing them in public, or the perfume that smells…well, that just plain smells.
It is, of course, a blessing to simply know that someone cares enough to give us something. And for that, we should always and forever be grateful. But it sure does feel good when we receive gifts that perfectly scratch our itches and let us know that someone has made an effort to truly ponder our personalities and preferences.
I am supposing that God feels the same way about the things we give to Him. After all, He is a living God, not merely an impersonal collection of concepts, and there is ample evidence in the Bible to show that we have the power to grieve or bless Him. (Park on that profundity for awhile and it will blow your mind.)
Doesn’t it make sense, then, for us to make the effort to discover what He most wants?
God’s wish list can sometimes be quite surprising. It’s easy to assume He just wants a few bucks in the offering plate, along with some occasional good deeds and religious activities. But I believe what God really wants is us — our hearts. He wants to be the greatest love of our lives, and He makes it clear throughout Scripture that religion is a sorry substitute for a relationship with Him.
“‘These people come near to Me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is made up only of rules taught by men,’” He says. (Isaiah 29:13)
One thing is for sure: If you give Him your heart, God will never turn around and sell it on Ebay, stuff it in a closet, or pass it along as “re-gift.” No, it’s a present He will treasure for eternity.
Seeing our captivity, our broken hearts, and our despair, God gave His most precious gift, Jesus, to bring us freedom, healing and salvation.
We now have the power to give Him what He wants most: Us. All of us.
He gives us His life; we give Him ours. That’s what I call a heavenly gift exchange.
“God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure.” (Ephesians 1:5)