the GIFT GIVER
John 1:14, ‘The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, generous inside and out, true from start to finish.’ (MSG)
November 15th, 2023
He is the ULTIMATE Gift Giver!
Galatians 5:22-23:
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; Strength of spirit. (TPT)
“But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance, about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.’ (MSG)
PEACE
What is peace, you ask. Peace is seldom exemplified today, you say. I wanted to be accurate in my explanation to you, so again, I consulted Webster to see what he says peace is. I was startled to learn the only thing really referenced about peace is the non-warring condition of a nation, group of nations, or the world. And it is true, the lack of peace primarily prevalent today in our lives has to do with the unrest in the world and in our country, state and cities. Everyone is at war, and chaos runs like an errant child through the streets. But peace to me goes way deeper than what Webster describes. Peace to me has to do with what is happening down deep inside of me. In fact, I believe that if peace inside of each of us as human beings were more important than there might be more peace in the entire human race worldwide.
So, I asked God what peace to Him looks like. While peace to God also means the absence of war and chaos, it is bottomless in its significance. Peace defines reconciliation, to be at peace and to make peace, to be right with God and in a good relationship with others, and importantly, to be at peace with our own selves by virtue and in a state of tranquility and serenity. I may be way off base, but it is my belief that peace is foundational, and the sturdier the foundation of peace in our personal lives is, the more stable our entire surroundings will be.
Take a house for instance. If the home is built on a solid foundation, of concrete and forms, beams and durable materials, the fortress will be able to withstand any storm that wages against it outside. Recently when we were at the ocean, I was shocked to see how many homes are built on pillars and stilts so when the hurricanes hit, the home is not washed away. Those spindles beneath the foundation don’t look very hefty to me, but we were told, the solidarity of the footers buried deep in the ground provides a strong infrastructure to hoist what is above. If the groundwork and support system a house is built upon are not stable, it can topple at the first thing coming against it. It can look pretty on the outside, but if it is not set on a solid rock, it won’t be able to defy the assaults it faces.
Likewise, our fortress is no different. If we have flimsy foundational truths by which we construct our lives, then when the first rages come at us, we’ll succumb to storms around us. If we create a peaceful environment from the inside out that motivates our choices, our living, the people we are connected to, then we can emanate tranquil situations that often will rub off on others as well. What happens too often today when we expect to be filled—and fulfilled—by everything around us, we tend to cloak ourselves from the outside inward instead, and that means, all the happenings around us are affecting the serenity we once had within.
But God wants to give us the gift of His peace. In fact, in John 14:27, He says, ‘”I leave the gift of peace with you—My peace. Not the kind of fragile peace given by the world, but My perfect peace. Don’t yield to fear or be troubled in your hearts—instead be courageous!”’ (TPT, emphasis mine) There couldn’t be a finer gift today to receive from the Lord, while chaos rages all around, to be able to remain vigilant, cautious and concerned, for mankind, but not troubled and filled with fret and angst, because the solace of the Lord is our shield. ‘The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. (Proverbs 18:19, NIV)
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
Teddy had only known confusion. When things came to blows at home between his family members, and it got too exasperating, he’d dip out the door and take to the alleyways. Nobody missed him; he was just one of a dozen kids stuffed in corners and packed into closets in a house not built large enough for so many people. It was not something Teddy ever felt resembled a home as it busted out of its seams and all the ugliness within spilled from its contents.
From a very young age, Teddy was running the streets. Trouble began chasing after him if he didn’t find it first. It literally started with a silly game he and the neighborhood kids played, Ding Dong Ditch. By the time Teddy was preteen, he was sneaking into other people’s homes, leaving his signature behind. Any annoying prank he could dream up, such as leaving a gallon of milk on the counter, eating a slice of a freshly baked cake he found on someone’s table, tipping over a full trashcan of garbage, turning off someone’s heat, blaring the AC. From these antics, he graduated to helping himself to clothing, preferably with tags, and he loved any kind of hat, which he accumulated quite a collection. Then came spare sets of keys, vehicles and valuables, like TVs and computers, and the ultimate, freestanding safes he could wrestle out a door. Teddy taught himself to crack the codes when he couldn’t steal them. He was in and out of juvee, and finally, at the ripe age of seventeen, found himself headed to prison, having been tried as an adult for a burglary gone wrong and a botched attempted murder. Gone were the days of his childhood, but he’d give anything now for the confusion and chaos in that place he once refused to call home.
On a tiny bunkbed they labeled falsely a ‘Twin’, in the corner of a 6×8 cell in that prison, was where Teddy first met peace—of all places. He never knew it existed his entire life. The cacophony of the grub hall and the sound of clanging metal bars and slamming gates induced discord in other cellies, but to Teddy, it made a sound of reconciliation. He had to come to grips with himself. There, he was introduced to Jesus, and suddenly realized, peace came from within, and couldn’t be dependent on circumstances and surroundings. It became as essential to Teddy as the air he breathed, even though he didn’t fully understand it; truly, a peace surpassing human comprehension.
Today, after serving his sentence and successfully doing his time, Teddy runs a boys’ home—get this, in the same house he once was raised in. Teddy brought his parents to know Jesus as Lord and Savior as they were so mystified by the changes in their son after going to prison. Eventually, they gave him the house for his dream project, rescuing kids just like himself. There are a dozen boys who live there comfortably, no longer stuffed in nooks and crannies. Teddy offers mentorship, tutoring, Bible studies, sports activities, and incentive programs, in addition to their chores and schoolwork. Because Teddy attributes everything to what was elusive that he had needed so desperately in his life at that age, he named the home The Peace Project. The beds are always full, and he praises God for his 100% success-rate helping young men find Jesus and peace, and thus, victory in life.
Our Heavenly Father, the Creator of the Universe, Holy God, the Spirit of the Living God, Perfect One, is the ultimate gift giver. Just like we as parents are eager to give gifts to our children, our Father desires to give gifts that are beneficial and good and profitable for us. He delights in giving gifts, like peace, to His children for our good, and ultimately, for His glory.
James 1:16-18, ‘So, my very dear friends, don’t get thrown off course. Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light. There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. He brought us to life, using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all His creatures.’ (MSG)
