I am constantly amazed at God. He gives us gifts all the time. Every day we enjoy the beauty of His creation. Spring brings the smell of rich soil and fragrant flowers. Summer brings long, warm days and nights filled with the sound of crickets and the soft glow of fireflies. Autumn brings the smell of burning leaves, a canvas of vibrant colors and the dance of a roaring fire against the backdrop of a cool, crisp night. Winter brings grey horizons, softly falling snow, brightly colored holiday lights and the chill, clear, star-filled sky. Every season is filled with love and wonder. Each new day creates a hug of its own.
Whether you believe it or not, God is the consummate giver. He gave us life. He gave us His Son. He gave us redemption. He gave us forgiveness. He gave us grace. He gave us His Word. He gave us healing. He gave us favor. He gave us His Holy Spirit. He gave us His power. He gave us His everlasting love. He gave us His covenant blessing. He gave us abundance. He gave us the ability to prosper.
So, how can we deny these gifts? He gave and continues to give… every day and in every way! Are you receiving all of His gifts? If you are one of His children, they are yours… just for the asking. You may believe in the gift of salvation but not in the gift of healing. However, in the same way that we accepted salvation as a free gift, the gifts of grace and love and righteousness and favor and power and healing and covenant promises belong to you. His Word is very clear on these points. Each of these things has already been paid for by Jesus and is now a gift from the Father to us! But we need to believe that they are for us. We need to receive His grace, His love, His righteousness, His favor, His power, His healing and His covenant promises so that we may walk in His blessing. We need to accept these gifts as “standard-issue” for all of His family members.
If you are not one of His children, you can be! Even though you are not yet His child, He gives you blessing upon blessing every day… despite your feelings about Him. The earth spins. You wake every morning. You breathe. You see His beautiful creation. You experience love. You create life. You enjoy the food that continues to grow from the richness of His earth. You laugh. You cry. You feel. You live.
So, receive… Receive His salvation and become part of His family. Receive the blessings that Jesus lovingly restored for each of us on the cross of Calvary. He paid it all. He’s waiting for you. His gifts are there to receive, so… receive. Receive… just because He loves you! Once done, it will be easy to have the heart of the Father… the heart of a giver!
P.S. There is one gift God did not give to us… faith. Stay tuned for the next “Hug” to find out more!