Last week we talked about giving thanks. This week the Lord wants us to look at giving during this season of celebration and giving. What has God given you? A family? A home? Food? Good health? Salvation through His precious Son? God gives to us so that we can share with others.
John 10:28 “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.”
Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”
Max Lucado says “Though God has given us many blessings and rights, we should be willing to give them up if it would help someone to know Christ. Why not give up your right for free time or watching a movie and use the time to share with a new Christian a lesson you have learned recently.”
What a simple but most important way to give!!! God will use you to meet the needs of others. It is impossible for us to out-give God so give abundantly!
There are so many ways to give not just by giving money. As I looked through almost 1,000 verses on Biblegateway, I noticed these words as I read: “Giving strength, knowledge, understanding, peace, rest, thanks, comfort, aid, shelter, attention, love, instruction, approval, praise, forgiveness, etc.” The list could go on and on. These are amazing ways our precious Lord gives to us but also ways we can give to others.
And God reminded me yesterday not to give up on our children! Being a parent is definitely a roller coaster especially when you have children with ongoing medical problems or special needs. He has a plan for them. They were born in His image just as you and I were. He wants us to give them the love, the praise, the support, etc., especially when times are hard. Give them more of you and more of God; don’t give up! Galatians 6:9 says “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
For my card this week, I used Basic Grey Urban Prairie papers and several Unity stamps. The butterfly stamp is from the Friendship. Love. Miracles. set, and the frame on the back is from the Our Life Our Stories set. And the small stickers are from 7Gypsies and were included in the November kit from Create My Keepsake. They were just perfect!
The verses I used were:Matthew 5:42 "Give to the one who asks you and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you."
Matthew 10:8b "Freely you have received, freely give."
I pray that you will take these weeks ahead and watch for areas where you can give—maybe a listening ear to a child or teen, a hug to a friend that is suffering, a meal to a sick neighbor, etc. Watch for the opportunities God brings to you to give. Blessings,
