The Good and Perfect Gift

When was the last time you received a gift from someone? Your birthday? Christmas? Easter? Well, today three of you received a very special gift from the church. Some of you have already received bibles and others of you will get them when you become second graders, but did you know that you are given a special gift each and every day? It’s true! Every day we are given a perfect gift! James 1, verse 17 says: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father…who does not change…” Our gifts we receive every day are things like waking up in the morning and being able to run and play and learn. Another gift we receive is having our families (even on days we don’t really want them!) It would be pretty lonely in the world if we did not have a mom or dad or brothers or sisters, wouldn’t it? Another gift is the ability to read, and write, and speak and listen! Some people are not able to speak or hear like we can, but they learn other ways to communicate with others, like writing what they want to say on paper or learning how to use sign language or even reading lips. Every day we also receive a very special gift from Jesus. We get a do over! Maybe yesterday was a bad day. Maybe you didn’t listen when mom told you to pick up your toys. Maybe you had a fight with your brother or sister or friend. Maybe you felt left out or bullied by someone at school. Or maybe you were the bully by picking on someone instead of being nice to them.

The great thing about having a do over is that you get a clean slate; each new day is a new chance to change and make things better. You can make up with that friend or sibling you fought with; apologize to the person you were mean to; make a new friend; help mom or dad out by asking if there is anything you can do for them; listen and do what you are told to do; and spend time in your Bible or having mom or dad read to you from the Bible. Every day is filled with many possibilities, many opportunities, and many wonderfully amazing things that can happen. It is a special gift you get from God, a chance to get closer to Him by reading the Bible alone or with your family and learning His Word, and learning what it means to have that very special gift that Jesus gave us when He died on the cross for us. That very special gift is forgiveness and salvation. They are given to us when we chose to follow Jesus, when we learn God’s Word and when we turn all our troubles over to Him. When we accept that gift from Jesus, then every day is a special gift, a way of showing others that we have Jesus in our lives, for He is that good and perfect gift from above!

Let’s pray:

Dear God, thank you for the special gift of Jesus. Help us to be more like him and to be thankful for each new day. Help us remember that each day is a chance for a “do-over”, a way to correct what we did wrong, and a way to show others that Jesus lives through us. Amen.