John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
Some people are great gift givers. They love giving gifts and really make an effort to pay attention, to listen, to search for just the right thing that will blow the recipient away. When I think of what makes a great gift, several things come to mind:
- the cost – how much money, time or effort went into the gift?
- the sacrifice – is it the widow’s mite or spare change?
- the rarity – is it a Flame Lily from Zimbabwe or a dandelion from the empty lot next door?
- the need – is it one more thing for your next garage sale or the missing puzzle piece to an area of your life?
- the significance – does the gift show that the giver really knows you like no one else?
Any or all of these factors gauge the love that the giver has for the one receiving the gift, and display the lengths to which they have gone to communicate that love. When we read that “God so loved…” what follows is the evidence of how much His gift reveals about His feelings for you and me.
While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions:
- What parts in John 3:16 meet the different criteria of a great gift? (cost, sacrifice..)
- Are you a great gift giver, or not so much? Contrast your gift giving skills against God’s.
Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you?
Explain – what does the passage mean?
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today?
Respond – how is God leading you respond?
Today’s post is by Jon Price, Associate Pastor
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash