A Prayer to Prepare Our Hearts for Gift-Giving
By Lynette Kittle
Bible Reading:
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God”— Ephesians 2:8
Sometimes it’s hard for us to receive gifts from God because gift-giving here on earth is often complicated, with human emotions and attitudes getting in the way of giving from our hearts.
As an enthusiastic gift-giver, I often give small tokens to others, not expecting gifts in return, simply because I want to share the joy felt in my heart. But in our day and age, where some give expecting to get back, many aren’t used to receiving gifts just because.
Still, year after year, I continue to give gifts because it's about being who I am, and it doesn’t matter if anyone reciprocates or not. There is no agenda attached; it's just a heart that loves to give.
Giving gifts freely gives me a glimpse and a better understanding of God’s heart towards us, of offering gifts out of a heart of love, even if they are rejected.
As Psalm 84:11 describes, “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless.”
As a giver, I’m not responsible for how my gifts are received by others, but rather the condition of my heart in offering them. Just because people reject God’s gifts, it doesn’t change who He is, as He is a giver who keeps on giving, not based on how others receive His gifts, but on who He is.
The Greatest Giver of All Time
Because gift giving nowadays can be so complicated, we want to look to God to prepare our hearts for giving. As the most selfless giver of all time, we can learn much from what He gives.
As James 1:17 describes, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
God is a heartfelt giver who gives from a heart of love with a gift designed especially for us; no holds barred, extravagant, priceless, and irreplaceable. As John 3:16 explains, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
In giving us Jesus, God went all out, giving the ultimate gift, with no strings attached. As the Apostle Paul writes in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Unlike giving us a gift that indebts us to Him, God gave a gift to free us from our debt to sin. As Paul explains further in Romans 8:32, “He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?”
God is an all-out giver who gives to us for our good, at the sacrifice of Himself. Still, so many refuse His gift of Jesus, not recognizing or understanding the eternal value.
Jesus Prepares Our Hearts to Give
Jesus, the greatest gift ever given to humankind, prepares our hearts to give, not just at Christmas, but throughout the whole year.
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace—(Isaiah 9:6).
As we prepare to give to others, we can’t help but exclaim, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15).
Let’s Pray:
Dear Father,
Thank you for being the greatest gift-giver, from the beginning to the end of time!
Our hearts are filled with deep gratitude for Your generous and indescribable gift of Jesus!
Although we’ve done nothing deserving of receiving Your priceless gift, You keep giving to us in so many remarkable and wonderful ways from generation to generation.
Open our hearts to receive Your greatest and most precious gift, Jesus, and our hands to reach out and share Him with others this Christmas and every day of the coming year.
Help us to give to others, like You give to us, freely, generously, and free from ever withholding good from others when it’s in our ability to bless their lives.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
Share your reflections on today’s devotional in the Your Daily Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Bogdan Kurylo
Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.
Related Resource: Advent Meditations
This Advent season can be full and hurried, which is exactly why we need moments to pause and be still with God. So Much More is a podcast created to bring you space to be with God. In this short, guided prayer, you’ll return to Psalm 62:5–8, the passage from this week’s meditation on hope. Together, we’ll breathe deeply, rest in God’s presence, and ask Him to renew our hope—trusting that the One who came once will come again. If you like what you hear, subscribe to So Much More on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
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