Gifts For God

Walking with me into my bedroom, Lanie, my then four-year-old granddaughter spotted my jewelry box.

“Nana,” she asked. “Can I look at your jewelry?” I put the jewelry box on the floor so she could have a closer look. Clinching a dazzling gold heart with a red stone, she asked, “Where did you get this?”

“From your mommy.”
“Why?”

“Because she loves me.”

Picking up a gold ring she asked, “Where did you get this?” “My mom gave it to me. It was her high school ring.”

“Why?” “Because she loves me.”

Holding a diamond heart, she asked, “Where did you get this?”
“From your papa.”

“Why?” “Because he loves me.”

With a sweet but curious countenance, she asked, “Does everybody love you?” I laughed. “Yes, I suppose they do.”

Thoughtfully, she put the jewelry back in the box. With wide eyes, she peered into my eyes and said, “I will bring you something too.” Lanie’s heart told her that because she loves me she wanted to bring me a gift.

What can we give God to show we love Him? Psalm 51:16–17 tells us, “You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”

When we love God, and put Him first in our lives, we will offer Him a contrite heart — a heart that expresses remorse for sin with a true desire for change. The heart we give Him will be:
• A heart that is humbly dependent on Him
• A heart that trusts Him fully
• A heart that longs to obey
• A heart that is thankful

And our prayer will be Psalm 51:10: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
Have you given your heart to God?
That is the perfect gift to give Him.