I struggle with gift giving. I’ll admit it. I really don’t like giving a gift just for the sake of giving a gift. I want it to be meaningful, personal, and clearly one that touches the receiver in some way. That’s a lot of pressure. I have never given the perfect gift. I’ve been excited about giving some, but none perfect. I recently took up knitting after many years of silent needles. I worked for months on a simple afghan for my mother. While she was truly touched, I could easily spot the errors in my work.

We have the perfect gift giver, our dear heavenly Father. He has given us many gifts, the greatest of all being his grace and mercy through his son, Jesus as our Savior. You and I could sit together and make an endless list of the gifts we have received from God. We would likely include our family, friends, food each day, clean water to drink, our church, the beauty of nature, our ability to learn and grow, our health, healthcare workers when our health fails, and on and on. These treasures and so much more come from God who is faithful and constant and full of grace. The passage reminds us that he does not change like a shadow that moves with the sun. That in itself, is a remarkable gift in this ever-changing world.

When we think of all that he has done, it might be easy to miss one incredibly significant gift—he chose to give us birth! Not just a physical birth, although that is amazing. Even more, he chose to give us a spiritual birth, through faith. Of all that he created, we are the crown of God’s creation. No mountain range, no breathtaking sunset, no spectacular animal comes close to his gift of faith to us, his ultimate creation. For you and I were chosen to be his people, his children, through faith in his son, Jesus. That gift is indescribable. That gift is worthy of our praise, of our thanks. With this gift, we know that we can trust him in each day, in every struggle and temptation. We can also reflect that love as we share his grace and mercy with others.

God’s gift to you, the gift of faith, of grace, of peace with him through Jesus—the perfect gift.