“Do not take by force something that is intended to be given as a gift.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – November 14, 2024
An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end. Proverbs 20:21, ESV
One of the most helpful lenses through which we can view the world is a lens of “gift.” We give countless gifts to others. Yes, sometimes these are wrapped with paper and a bow, yet the most meaningful gifts we give rarely fit inside an adorned box. We give the gift of time, the gift of kind words, the gift of respect, the gift of service, the gift of attention, and ultimately, the gift of ourselves. Similarly, just as we give gifts, we also receive them. In truth, this is the heart of the most famous verse in the Bible. “For God so loved the world that he gave…” (John 3:16).
Anytime we seek to take something by force that is intended to be given as a gift, we miss an opportunity to live in step with the Spirit of God. For a young person, this may be a longing for love and physical intimacy that is awakened before the proper time. What is designed to be a good gift of God that leads to a lifetime of mutual service and joy is instead twisted and distorted to meet the immediate demands of the flesh or desires of the heart.
As we grow older, the concerns of life may change, yet the same temptation to take what is meant to be given remains with us. Rather than trusting the Lord will provide and waiting in this promise, we may be tempted to make hasty and short-sighted financial decisions. We want immediate results at work and struggle to see the gift that is found in a long obedience in the same direction. Or, perhaps we are uncomfortable with vulnerability and intimacy, so we change communities or move cities every few years, never knowing the gift of lifelong friendships.
Of all the gifts we can be given, I can think of none greater than to hear these words spoken over us when we reach the end of our days. “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21). Trust that the Lord loves and cares for you and longs to give good gifts to his children. His plans are perfect, and his timing is more precise than you and I could ever imagine. What’s needed of us, then, is a heart of humble service that looks for ways to give our lives away in service, trusting that he will give us the gifts we need exactly when we need them the most.
Prayer
Father, keep us from lives of striving and taking but instead give us hearts of humility and gratitude that love to receive the gifts you give to your children, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Application
Are there ways you’ve tried to take things by force when the Lord is instead asking you to wait with patience and trust?
Related Reading
Matthew 7:11; Romans 8:32; James 1:17
Worship Resource
Andrew Peterson: Behold the Lamb of God
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