Devotions this week based on the Message: “Counterfeit Gods: The Heartbreak of Love”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Tim Keller entitled, Counterfeit Gods.
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
The paper is intriguing. The anticipation is grueling. The opening is exhilarating!
Everybody likes to receive gifts. Especially as a kid, the countdown to your birthday and Christmas were front and center for weeks. The time to open gifts was the highlight of the year!
While I would say everyone loves to receive gifts, to some gifts are a heightened expression of love. Gifts mean you thought of me. Gifts mean you understand what is important to me. Gifts mean you took time to find the perfect expression of you. Gifts communicate love.
For those whose love language is gifts, it is not necessarily the dollar amount the gift costs, but the thought that it communicates. A dollar gift from the Dollar Store could say more than a large diamond ring simply because the thought and application of the gift was more significant.
As with the first two love languages, gifts are part of expression of love and receiving love because God is a giver of gifts. As with all our expressions of love, consider the generosity, thoughtfulness and expense God went through to give us what we need. God’s giving of gifts to us is to fill us and enable us to give good gifts to others. Consider just a few:
- At the heart of God is the giving of gifts, good gifts, to those he loves.
“God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son…” (John 3:16)
- Every gift has as its source, our heavenly Father.
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17).
- Our Father invites us to ask for gifts and knows how to give good gifts to us.
Luke 7:9-11 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 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!
- The greatest gift we have received is the gift of grace.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[b] Christ Jesus our Lord.
- God’s Spirit gives special gifts for ministry.
1 Corinthians 12:4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.
Make a list today of all the gifts that God has given to you.
God is not a giver so we can just be receivers. God gives a) to bless us and b) to encourage us to be givers.
Sometimes we withhold loving with gifts and generosity because we have a “scarcity mindset.” Look at God’s wisdom in Proverbs 11:24, “One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.” The truth is that the giving of gifts is always a blessing to the recipient AND the giver. As Jesus taught, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”(Acts 20:35).
So enjoy both the gifts God has given, and with the same thought-filled, conscientious, loving way, enjoy giving gifts to express your love and God’s love to others.
Apply: Here’s some gift giving ideas to express love through the giving of gifts! (Ideas from https://www.ftd.com/blog/celebrate/love-language-ideas)
- Bring them their favorite flowers, just because
- Buy them something they’ve been wanting for awhile
- Send them a surprise package at work
- Make them a mix of songs and explain why you chose each song for them
- Sign them up for a class they’ve been wanting to take
- Buy them a new outfit and lay it out on their bed
- Let them pick out one new toy at the store
- Surprise them with a present on an obscure holiday
- Pack a small gift in their backpack
- Get them their favorite treat at the grocery store
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for being a giving God. Lead me to always be grateful for the gifts you have given and filled with your love given through gifts, give often and generously to others! AMEN.