The One Who Has Everything

The One Who Has Everything

Who’s the hardest person in your family to find a gift for? Explain.

How can you tell if a gift has been given from the heart?

All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the LORD.

Exodus 35:22

What do you get for the One who has everything? Think about it. God created the universe. Everything on the earth is his. What could we possibly give him that would mean anything to him?

The answer: something sincere. Something meaningful to us. Something that requires work or sacrifice on our part. Something that shows him how much we love and honor him.

We can show God a generous spirit. We can honor him by using our resources for his work. The passage from Exodus 35 is a great example. God instructed the Israelites to build a tabernacle — a place where they could worship him. But he left it to those “who were willing” to donate the materials for it. The people of Israel jumped at the chance. They gave their most expensive jewelry, fabrics and building materials. They saw an opportunity to honor God, and they took advantage of it—whatever the cost.

What can we learn from the Israelites? What opportunities does our family have to honor God? How many similar opportunities have we missed in the past? How can we make sure we don’t miss the next one?

PRAYER

Dear God, we have nothing to give you that isn’t already yours. Please accept our gifts and offerings for what they are and use them to accomplish your will. Amen.