Hello Everyone!
It’s hard to believe Christmas is past, the gifts are all unwrapped – even put away, and now is the time to begin a new year! I hope that you had a very blessed and Merry Christmas.
When you love someone, the natural result is that you want to give to them. This is especially true of our Lord. He tells us all He has is ours. He gives it freely to us and not only that, He tells us it’s His good pleasure to do so! We may have received many wonderful gifts – but the greatest gift – the gift from which all gifts stem from – is love. Without love, the gift is meaningless.
I have a dear friend whose Dad always told her that love is spelled, T-I-M-E. Spending time creating or buying a gift means that the person’s love is put right into it. I know that whether I make something home made, or buy a gift, I enjoy spending the time doing it. I get great pleasure anticipating how happy it will make the receiver of it. It’s worth every minute to see the joy on their faces, and, when I find the perfect gift, it gives me joy too. I want to please them because I care about them. Buying something just because you have to is much different. Caring shows.
It all has to do with time. That’s why time spent with the Lord is the greatest gift you can give Him. The Lord has everything. He created everything. Yet time taken and put aside just for Him is something you have to desire and choose to do. It’s a gift of your time simply because you love Him. He can’t give it to Himself from you – only you can give it to Him. That’s what makes this gift so special – because it stems from love – your love for Him.
It’s the best gift of all – the gift of love.
Have a very Happy New Year – one of joy, health, peace – and love!
Blessings, Evelyn
P.S. If you would like to read my magazine articles, go to www.innervoicemag.com and click on OUR VOICE. Scroll down all three pages to get to my titles which are: The Sparkle and Sound of Crystal, The Fragrance of Fall, Listen to His Heartbeat, Do-Overs, Just Whistle, End of Your Rope, and God’s Love Notes.
Thank you Evelyn for sharing this special truth with us. Time is surely a precious gift. It also is a good reminder to me to spend more time in God’s presence in the New Year.
Dear Linda,
You are such a faithful friend and I appreciate you taking the TIME to respond. You certainly have the love of the Lord shining from you!
Blessings, Evelyn
Evelyn, I loved what you said about time being something that God cannot give to Himself from me; only I can give my time to Him. A few days ago I completed a five-year Bible study with J. Vernon McGee. I will open my Bible again this evening and begin giving my gift of time to the Lord all over again. It is my delight! Praise Him!
Dear Maude,
Thank you. That really is so simple, yet when I got that revelation, it is really profound. I’m so glad that we can give back some thing to Him that shows our love for all He has done for us.
Blessings, Evelyn
Wow, Ev.
I read this blog and my dad came back to life for a beautiful moment. T-I-M-E is what you give through every single one of these blogs. I wish there was a more appropriate word for them like “gems” for example. Sounds more appropriate because these sparkle and make you swoon. The image of God waiting to receive a call or a visit with Him makes His heart so clearly seen. So utterly tender and true. Ev, I love you.
Dear Joanne,
Thank you – your Dad was a wise man for sure. As far as the blogs – to God be the glory for all wisdom comes from Him. Yes He truly loves us and waits for us to come to Him. How blessed this makes us! He is our wonderful Heavenly Daddy, loving us in ways not humanly possible for us to understand while here on earth. We just get a little taste for now.
Blessings, Evelyn
Amen and Amen.