Scripture or Today: Luke 11:11-12 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?”

White elephant gifts are usually not anything anyone wants, but they do make us laugh! The phrase is thought to refer to what the king of Siam would do to those courtiers who had angered him. He would give them rare albino elephants with the expectation that they would be ruined by the animal’s upkeep costs! The gift, originally thought to be something positive ended up being very negative! All wrapped up with a big bow, our white elephant gifts are received with low expectations!

Today’s verse comes from a passage that assumes that we know how to give good and appropriate gifts to our children. In the same way, our Heavenly Father gives exactly the right gift to His children (verse 13). He knows what is good for us and what is not. He knows what will perhaps later complicate our lives! What He gives is always good and perfect (James 1:17). And His most indescribable gift is the gift of Himself! (II Cor. 9:15)

The gift of His Spirit (verse 13) is pretty much the best answer to any prayer request! When I am confused, He gives wisdom. When I am needing direction, He guides. When I am devastated, He comforts. When I am weak He gives strength. When I am worked up He calms me down. And when I am feeling alone, it is His Spirit that reminds me of His presence and love. Those whose hope is in the Lord will not be disappointed! (Is. 49:23)

Thank you Lord, for the gift of Yourself.

Scripture for Today:Matthew 13:16 “Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.”

I never quite understood the symbolism in the carol, Do You Hear What I Hear, until I looked at its history. It was written in 1962 by a couple named Noel and Gloria Regney. Each stanza asks the question and the conversation is not resolved until the end where the king declares that all people should pray for peace and that the Child born would give us goodness and light.

This carol was written as a prayer for peace during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Knowing that gives new meaning to the “star” that is seen in the sky with a “tail as big as a kite,” and the so-called song above the trees with a “voice as big as the sea.” I love that the carol uses the lamb as a picture of innocence. But for each of the images in the carol, there is a corresponding spiritual truth!

The star can also be seen as the star of Bethlehem heralding Christ’s coming and the birth of hope. Jesus was called the Lamb of God, His sacrifice taking away our sin. As the song says this Child, “will bring us goodness and light.” And the Lord did just that!  John declares that God is light (I John 1:5) and David affirms that His goodness and love will follow us all the days of our lives (Psalm 23:6).

Not everyone sees. Not everyone hears. The message of Christmas is so often lost in the beautiful distractions of the season. I want to keep my focus on the Giver of goodness and light.  Do you hear His invitation to, “come and see?” (Psalm 66:5)  Do you see Jesus for who He really is; God’s only Son?

Lord, may I see and hear You this Christmas season.

(Look familiar? This is a re-post from 2016)

Scripture for Today: James 1:2-3 “Consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”

I appreciate a lovingly brewed tea. I especially enjoy it when it is accompanied with sweets!  It takes time and some effort to do it correctly. There are always directions on a box of tea on how long to steep that bag. But more often than not, I tend to hurry the process along. For the full flavor to be realized, the bag needs to steep long enough in that hot water.

Today’s verse talks about a process with a very positive outcome. But like steeping in boiling water, it takes time. The testing of our faith through trials and difficulties does eventually bring about perseverance. And this is why one can consider it a joy.  Believers are to look at their problems not as a punishment, a curse or bad luck. The one belonging to the Lord is to consider or regard each trial as something positive. There can be joy when we can see past the problem to the perseverance that is being produced in us.

Of course, joy is not my first response to hard times. But after long careful consideration, I can eventually come to it. It is usually well after that negative experience that I can see how God used it in my life. I can esteem something as a joy when I see my faith become stronger as a result. The joy is not found in that circumstance but in what God is going to do with it! Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before Him (Heb. 12:2). I want to see the joy that is set before me as well and so be able to endure with perseverance whatever He allows.

Lord, help me to trust what You are allowing in my life.

(Look familiar? This is a re-post from 2018)

Scripture for Today: Matthew 7:9-10 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?”

My Dad loved to bowl which may explain how this happened. As a young girl putting together my Christmas list, I dropped many not-so-subtle hints about the expensive doll I had seen advertised. That Christmas morning, trembling with excitement, I made a beeline for that big narrow box tagged with my name. What keen disappointment I felt when unwrapping a toy bowling set instead of a doll! My Father gave it out of love but it was not the good gift I was expecting.

Today’s passage explains that our Heavenly Father gives good gifts to His children when we ask Him (verse 11). In answer to our prayers, He gives to His own exactly what is good for us. He is not random nor is He arbitrary. Our Father is a perfect Father. He sees past what may be selfish or frivolous requests. He answers the deeper need we sometimes do not even see. And what is so amazing is that our Father is the unrecognized Source of much that is good in our lives!

I have heard people quip, “Be careful what you pray for, you just may get it.” The idea is that we will be sorry we ever asked. That does not describe my perfect Heavenly Father. What He gives me is out of love and always for my good. If I mistakenly ask for a stone or a snake, He has committed Himself to giving only what is good for me. I can trust His goodness in all of His answers. I am so glad He sees what is good for me when I cannot.

Thank you Lord, for being a good good Father!

(Look familiar? This is a re-post from 2020)