God Is The Giver
Understanding that every good gift comes from God, leading us to gratitude.
Teaching
As the Creator, God is also The Giver.
In Matthew 7, Jesus teaches:
"If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him."
And in James 1 we read:
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. By his own choice, he gave us birth by the word of truth so that we would be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures."
Consider all that God has given to us….
Everything! Everything is a gift. We are not entitled to anything at all.
God knows how to give good gifts to us. Every good gift is ultimately a gift from above.
So, when someone gives you a present for your birthday or Christmas, just know that they are re-gifting that present to you. :-)
They received it as a gift from God and they stewarded that gift so that it is temporarily available to you.
Because God has given everything to us, we get to experience all of life with gratitude.
Reflection & Discussion Questions
- 01
Have you ever struggled to trust God's goodness and generosity toward you personally? What experiences, disappointments or doubts have contributed to that struggle?
- 02
The idea that 'everything is a gift' and that 'we are not entitled to anything at all' is profoundly countercultural. How does this challenge the way you typically think about your possessions, relationships, talents and opportunities?
Next Steps
Practice gratitude by listing 10 gifts God has given you today—things you might normally take for granted.