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I’ve always been terrible at receiving gifts. I’m sure I put way too much thought into how I should respond, but I’m afraid I’ll hurt their feelings. You know what I mean?
They’ve spent hours researching this perfect gift, planning it out, maybe even hand-making it. They stand, watching, waiting, anticipating…hoping you’ll be…grateful? Ecstatic? Amazed? Heart-warmed? What? What do they want?! That’s what starts going through my mind.
Perhaps it’s trauma from years of bad gifts. Puke bowls, used socks, and vitamins aren’t what you would expect when you open up a beautifully wrapped gift. But you put on a happy face and try to make the best of it!
No matter what, I want to have the right response. I want them to know how much I appreciate the thought they put into it, how much I will enjoy this gift and just how special it is that they even chose to give me something in the first place.
Luke 4:38-39
“And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon’s house. And Simon’s wife’s mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her. And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them.”
Here’s what I love about this passage: Peter’s mother-in-law’s response. She had just received a beautiful gift! Her fever could have soon killed her, but Jesus walks in, demonstrates His authority over the illness, and immediately she is healed.
Immediately.
And, what is her response?
She ministered to them. Ministered is translated “served”. She served them. Her response to Jesus’ gift of salvation was to serve Him.
Just as ours should be.
Friends, we are not rescued from the grips of sin for our own pleasure. We are not saved by His beautiful grace for freedom to continue in sin. Our reasonable and right response should be to serve our Lord with our life out of gratitude for the incredible gift He has given us.
Today, let’s examine our response to God’s gift.
Is it the right response?
There’s no time like the present to change it if not.
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