The GIFT Giver
This Season, Experience the ULTIMATE Giver of Gifts
Ephesians 2:8, ‘For by grace you have been saved! Nothing you did could ever earn this salvation, for it was the love gift from God that brought us to Christ!’ (TPT)
December 28th, 2022
the GIFT: the SPIRIT
Perhaps it was complicated and difficult to comprehend, the Giver mused. He would send Himself as a gift to all mankind in the form of a baby Who would grow into a man and walk among humanity and then give His life for all people, to redeem them from themselves, to take back all the enemy had stolen, to restore relationships and rebuild lives and repair the ruins life ransacked of the human heart.
Even harder, He considered, would be sending His Spirit to indwell mankind, to teach all who accepted the gift the Giver gave on the Cross how to live and be and act, to change the human mind, to soften their words, to love and be kind. This would be like icing on a cake, like a gentle rain or a cozy blanket, like smoke rising from a chimney or fog lifting off a winter pond. Like a whisper deep inside man’s heart giving direction, a nudge, an inspiration or a warm fuzzy, a patient teacher. He smiled. When His Son ascended to Him, then the Helper would arrive, and it would be like He had never left, that He was never far off, that He was as close as an idea or a persistent thought.
The Giver enthusiastically was awaiting His son’s return. It seemed like an eternity since He’d left. To be accurate, He’d felt as if He had been torn in two, pulled in pieces. He reckoned, this mankind He had dreamt into being might very well never change. In the heart of man dwelt evil and wrongdoing, and even though His great love for the children of the world was all-consuming, it still would never be enough to draw out all the badness within them and replace wholly with His goodness. Not until His kingdom could come and the war with the enemy would fully be waged and won, once and for all. Until then, the forgiveness His Son blanketed humanity with to atone for their sin would have to be enough. Until then…
He wandered to the edge of the wide porch and stared out over His world. From a long way off, He saw His Son coming toward Him. So much emotion leaked out of His eyes and traveled down His face. He brushed the tears away, and quickly, He hurried inside and grabbed His robe from where it lay draped over the back of His easy chair. So much joy filled His soul. The Giver ran to Jesus; throwing His arms around Him, He kissed His face. “My Son!” He exclaimed. “You are home! Here with Me!” He wrapped His robe around His Son’s shoulders and placed the family ring back on His finger, a wide smile breaking across His lips. “Let’s send the Helper, Son, and then come inside with Me, and tell Me all about your time. Let’s have a party!” He shouted. Arm in arm, they, Father and Son, walked back through the door, making their way to the fireplace, where a large fire danced before them, and they began to talk and share notes and make plans.
Galatians 5:22-23, ‘But the {gift} produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions: joy that overflows, peace that subdues, patience that endures, kindness in action, a life full of virtue, faith that prevails, gentleness of heart, and strength of spirit. Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless. (TPT)
