But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. 1 Cor. 12:31
As Mother’s Day approaches, I have been thinking of my mother, desiring to bless her with the perfect gift. The right gift is sometimes hard to find for her. I know she will say she doesn’t need anything. All my life she has been there for me and given me many gifts. Gifts I desired and some I did not deserve. Her greatest gift to me is her example in desiring God and pursuing the more excellent way. As a parent, I desire to give my children good gifts, but most importantly I desire to give them the understanding of the gift of God’s grace and salvation. Pursuing the higher gifts – the ones that will last for eternity.
Expect
The gifts God desires to give His children come with similar expectations. God desires to freely give His children excellent gifts. My job is to desire and receive them. Everyday I have the choice to receive God’s gift of grace. There are two paths I can take. The path of my own desires or the path of receiving grace. God promises in the verse above to show me the more excellent way. My heart must be prepared and earnestly desire His higher gifts. The word desire means to burn, be heated or boiled up with zeal. This is an intense warmth of feeling. I like to visualize it as a tea kettle boiling up until it whistles. This helps me realize how long it may take for for my heart to receive God’s gifts with grace.
Receive
I know as an adult I no longer have that intense desire of receiving gifts like I did as a child. Therein lies the problem of my receiving God’s grace, my intense desire has changed. There is a verse in the Bible, “whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” (Luke 18:17) The problem with my desire for these gifts of grace is my faith in receiving them. It is no longer childlike – burning up with desire. Maybe I am too satisfied with my status quo. Maybe I am desiring the wrong gifts or I am distracted by other gifts. Whatever the problem, there is a solution. Put the kettle on and burn up with childlike faith ready to receive. When I do receive, the path is always beyond my expectations. This gift of grace is something beyond my merit, it is a free gift. Although grace is free to receive it has been bought with a major price – Christ’s life.
Rejoice
Rejoicing in one’s circumstances is a major part of receiving grace. Rejoicing can be spontaneous, but usually is a choice. This past weekend as five out of the six of us were sick with the flu, there was not much rejoicing. As the weekend came to a close, I found myself reflecting and rejoicing because of grace. I now have all the bed linens and clothes washed. And in the wee hours of the night after numerous times of hugging the throne with my son, I tucked him in and he whispered….”Mom, I love you.” In the midst of difficulties, it is the simple, small moments that I remember God’s grace and rejoice. Rejoice in knowing the Giver of grace is always close to the broken and filling me up with the higher gifts of grace.
Desire Gifts
Expect. Receive. Rejoice.
What gifts am I desiring to receive from my Heavenly Father?