"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." James 1:17 ESV
Think about a perfect earthly gift you received. Now, think about what made it so special. It could be the present itself that is special, but more likely; it is the person who gave you the gift. They loved you and wanted to express their love with something they knew you would cherish.
James is talking about the heavenly gifts we receive. Every good thing we experience is from God. From our inception until the day we depart, this mortal shell is a gift from God. Because of the hope of salvation through Jesus, our more excellent gift continues beyond death. James explains that our heavenly Father does not give us bad things one day, and good things the next day. God only gives us good gifts! That does not mean that we do not have bad things happen. We will experience Illness and injustice, but those are not from God.
Father God, we give you thanks for your pure love for us. This Independence Day, we give you thanks for the freedom to worship you openly. We give thanks for your Son, who died upon the cross for our sins, giving us the hope of life eternal You give us so many good gifts and often take them for granted instead of cherishing them. Forgive us for our ingratitude. We ask for your help in recognizing all your blessings around us, and that we never fail to say thank you. In the precious name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Blessings!
Pastor Tim
