Day 90: The Holy Spirit: Our Father’s Gift

I love prizes. I love giving them. I love getting them. For me it’s all about finding the perfect prize. That prize that will tell another how much they are loved. How special they are to me. The prize says; “I know you, I know what makes you tick, I know what you need, I know what will make you smile” It is so much fun giving a prize. The funny thing about my gift giving is its just for the sake of giving. My gift has to say, “I love you! I believe in you! You are fearfully and wonderfully made! You are a masterpiece!

• John 4:10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you…(NLT)

• John 17:7 Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, (NLT)

Growing up, my daddy so encouraged and reinforced my gift giving. You see I grew up in the 60’s & 70’s in a small town in Vermont where my dad own the local drugstore that was also the Hallmark store, specialty and gift Shoppe, and Christian bookstore. It made gift giving easy. My dad also had a passion for giving gifts. He modeled for me. It was common for my dad to open the cash register, hand me money and say without a customer knowing, “ While I fill this prescription, go next door to the grocery store and get the family groceries.” Or, he would call me to the back of the store and say, “Mr. ‘So & So’ hasn’t thought about buying his wife a birthday present. Go pick out a gift and wrap it up for him to take home to his wife.” He trained me to watch and listen and know what would really bless people.

I can only imagine what was going thru the mind and heart of Jesus that day as he shared with the disciples–the guys that he had spent days and night the past three years. He knew what made the disciples smile. He knew the ultimate gift He would give them. A gift that would release them into their destiny. A gift that would give them power. But even more than what would make them smile, Jesus knew what made His Daddy smile. He knew how much his Daddy loved to give gifts. He knew that His Daddy had the perfect prize and it would soon be time to give them the gift that would change everything. Although it would be difficult, it would be a sacrifice, it would cost Jesus much, his heart was full of excitement because he too loved to give gifts. His Daddy had taught him well. The cost, Jesus would have to die, rise, and return to his daddy so that the ultimate prize could be given; Holy Spirit.

The Father knew what we needed! He knew what would make our hearts smile.

What is the Holy Spirit saying to me?

ACTIVATION

• Pray for the Holy Spirit reveal God’s gifts to your life.

• Ask the Holy Spirit to empower you to be a gift-giver to others.

• Pray that the power of God’s Spirit will anoint your gifts and talents for His greater glory.

FURTHER STUDY

Acts 1, Acts 2, John 4, John 17, Matthew 7:11, Romans 12:6, 1 Corinthians 12

Pastor Larry & Pat Downing
Foothills Community Church
Collections of thoughts from varied sources
Scripture verses from KJV or NIV unless specified