Giving and Receiving

January 7th, 2026

SCRIPTURE: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the [a]right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:” John 1:12

It has been reported that in 2024 about 42% of Americans planned to “re-gift” a present given them during the Christmas season. The recipients were not at all excited after opening the gift, or perhaps the size was too small, or the wrong color; maybe the gift was a complete “misfit” for the one to whom it was given. Giving and receiving gifts can be a tricky business; and how about those “free trial offers,” presented throughout the year? You know those that last for seven days or even a month. {They’re of course expecting you to forget about cancelling the arrangement at the end of the trial, thereby collecting payment, if you’re forgetful, for a gift or service you never intended to keep)! Does not this phenomenon in some ways remind you of the rejection many have for the greatest Gift
ever given?—that of salvation at Christ’s expense?

Undoubtedly the best gifts are given by one who truly knows our needs and what would delight our heart. That said, I am persuaded that our Creator God, beholding our deepest need and knowing better than we what will provide the truest, most enduring delight in this life and hereafter, offers the Gift of Christ to the human heart. Sadly, however, so many souls fail to recognize the value of receiving Christ as their Lord and Savior. They steer clear of even exploring the gift; they never get around to examining the wondrous claims of this uniquely extraordinary Gift—both temporal and eternal!

The God of heaven reveals that it is more blessed to give than to receive, and yet we must not forget that the Gift of eternal salvation is not ours unless we indeed receive it. I trust, dear reader, that you have not dismissed the Person of Christ and His redemptive work on the cross as “good for someone else” instead of receiving Him as your OWN Savior and Lord. Your eternal destination is at stake!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for opening our spiritual ears to believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ at the time appointed by You. Thank You for giving us a heart to receive Him as Lord of our lives, for so You chose us to receive this “indescribable Gift” before the foundation of the world! Your marvelous name be praised. Amen!
By Sis. Denise Diggs