Now God has us where He wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all His idea, and all His work. All we do is trust Him enough to let Him do it. It's God's gift from start to finish! We don't play the major role. If we did, we'd probably go around bragging that we'd done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving, He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join Him in the work He does, the good work He has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing. (Ephesians 2:7-10 The Message)
What kind of gifts do you anticipate receiving this Christmas - Clothes? Electronics? Jewelry? Money? Have you given a lot of thought to what gifts you will be giving to others?
It dawned on me that I might not be preparing the right gifts for the right people this holiday season. Oh sure - I took great care in selecting something special for my mother, my sister, and my son and his fiance. I even went the extra mile to get my granddaughter something special from her wish list. But what about my husband? I always struggle to find just the right thing for him...
God's Word declares that "every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning" (James 1:17).
This Christmas can be the perfect time to ask God for BIG things in your marriage! Are you ready for His answer?
Here are 3 Ways to pray for a Christmas GIFT from God:
1. Remind God of His faithfulness to you and your marriage...
God's word does not return void. (Isaiah 55:11) Prayers on behalf of your spouse will bear fruit. As the persistent widow cried out day and night - so too your pleas will not go unnoticed by God. Perseverance is key to bolstering your day to day faith walk. God rewards faith when it rests in His sovereignty. His timetable is not ours, and His ways are beyond our comprehension. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
2. Acknowledge the fact that God's Gift is just that...
No matter how much we want to receive the gift for our spouse - we simply cannot. It is entirely their choice to accept God's free gift of salvation, or to reject it. Remember, we want God to receive the most glory possible for your mate's conversion. God will orchestrate their circumstances in order to achieve His goal. God's Word declares we were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world. (Ephesians 1:4)
3. Anticipate something extraordinary...
Spiritual rebirth is a concept than we cannot possibly grasp in its entirety. Oftentimes it will be when we are about to give up that we see movement in the spiritual realm. As darkness blankets the earth before dawn, so it is with our salvation experience. We are children of the night awaiting His glorious light. Thank God for His indescribable gift. (II Corinthians 9:15)
May this Christmas bring you much joy and peace knowing that your heavenly Father delights in giving His children good gifts...
Looking for more Christmas posts? Here are two from the past:
Deborah
is the author of a Christian non-fiction book titled “Mission Possible”. It is
written for women who love the Lord Jesus, but their spouse doesn’t share their
passion. It will encourage and challenge
the reader to embrace God’s promises for their spouse and future together.
If you have been encouraged by this post - please take time to share it with others.
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