Don't judge a gift by the wrapping. Daily Devotional -- December 7, 2009

Daily Bible Reading: Job 9, Micah 5, James 1

James 1:16-18 "Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created."

In Ben’s message yesterday he talked about how the Angel announced that God was going to bless Mary. The blessing, however, was very unexpected! I know if I were Mary, the last "blessing" I would have expected to receive from God was an immaculate pregnancy!

This scripture in James reminds us that every good and perfect gift is from our Heavenly Father. The challenge is to be reminded that those gifts sometimes come in unexpected packages. I am reminded of when Jesus announced that he would be killed but that he would be raised again on the third day. Peter pulled him aside and said "Far be it from you, Lord; this shall not happen to you!" Jesus rebuked peter and said "Get behind me Satan! You are an offense to me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."

What Peter failed to understand is that although it was wrapped in an unexpected package, Jesus’ death was a gift to him and to mankind. The most beautiful gift ever given–a gift of forgiveness, mercy, grace and salvation–was wrapped in the unexpected package of a bloody crucifixion.

I have been guilty of judging God’s gifts by the wrapping paper. It must have been a Christ-follower who coined the term "blessing in disguise" because in my years as a Christian I have found that God has a strange way of packaging his gifts. Nevertheless I always seem to look back in retrospect and see His hand in it all. In fact, looking back I think all the greatest blessings of my life were very unexpected.

Imagine this year that you are sitting around the Christmas Tree this year with your Heavenly Father. He hands you gifts that are from Him, but they are wrapped in ugly dark wrapping paper. Although the outside might look dark, will you still trust that the gifts are from the Father of Lights? Will you still open those gifts and trust that they are good and perfect because they are from Him?

Thanks for reading,
Mel

Tomorrow’s reading: Job 10, Micah 5, James 2