|
The Perfect Gift
Hello again Valiant Men of God. I trust that your walk has not only been challenging but fruitful during your accomplishments. I pray that the Lord has moved upon your lives giving you the grace and mercy that only He can truly give.
So, when was the last time you received The Perfect Gift ? Was it a Plasma TV just before the big game or maybe a 6 1/2 horsepower, self starting, carbide bladed, self-empting, remotely operated lawn mower? Or was it a hand made pottery thing-a-ma-gig your youngest made during art class. Think about it. What is your perfect gift? I would imagine you're looking about right now and seeing or thinking about that perfect gift you received. You should feel honored that someone would think so highly of you that they would find something you would think of as "perfect" and give it to you.
OK. Time to be honest and truthful to yourself. How many thought about a "thing?" Something that could be purchased with hard, cold cash.
How many thought about your wife? What about those of you who have children? Did they come to mind?
Don't feel bad if you didn't because most of us think about gifts as tangible things that are purchased at a store for us. Kind of a trick question I will admit but it's been some time since we learned about the "Ewe Lamb." Remember the lesson that we were asked to get a childhood picture of our wives and look at her, really look at her through the eye's of God. It's been awhile, yes. Too long, no.
In James 1:17 (NIV) it says, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." And further says in James 3:17, "But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere."
Applying this to our relationships with our wives, we need to understand that first and foremost that God gave us our wives as perfect gifts. He chose them for us, for only He knows who we are as men, what our faults are, and what our strengths are within this world we dwell both present and past. Of all the suitable helpers out there in the world, He chose to put us and our wives along the same path long before we even knew of them. When we are out in the world being who we are as men, our Father in heaven was and always will be unchanging in His plans for us. When He placed our wives into our lives, as James 3:17 confirms, it was "first of all pure."
"Pure" as in love. He loved us so much that He gave to us a woman with a pure heart toward us instilled with all of His wisdom that would see us through everything this world might toss at us. Our wives saw beyond our quirks and faults and only saw that which would make us complete. Remember that first date, the first time you held her hand, in your arms, that first kiss, the moment you knew she was "the one." That came from God as confirmation that the two of you were meant to be together.
So how do you see her today? Wait. Instead of looking at her, look into her. What do you see now? If you don't see that "all pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere" woman that God gave to you (us - me included), then we need to close our eyes and prayerfully ask God to clean our hearts and allow us to once again see our wives as He sees them. If we are harboring any kind of sin or unforgiveness, we need to prayfully ask to be forgiven and for the ability to forgive. Now we are ready to once again look at our wives.
It is my prayer that each of us would always be able to see our wives as God sees them; as the perfect gift to us.
Until next time, keep
your eyes on Jesus !
|
