Every Gift is an Invitation to Know the Giver

 Since before Andrew was born, he has had a blanket.  Andrew’s blanket is a quilt with his name and birth date stitched at one end.  The birth date is wrong.  Andrew was to be born on November 30 by planned C-section.  Even then, he had his own plans.  Linda went into labor on the 28^th and Andrew arrived on the 29^th.  We didn't change the date to remind us that, from the very beginning, Andrew has done things his own way.  Practically every night of his life, Andrew has slept with that blanket.  For years, bedtime couldn't happen without it.  We've sent search parties to find it.  The blanket has always been a part of Andrew’s life, bringing him warmth and comfort and bringing us many good memories. 

When Andrew was a few years old, I returned to Woodruff to officiate the wedding of a young woman who grew up at First Baptist while I was pastor there.  At the reception was the woman who had made the blanket, a beautiful artistic lady named Lottie Caldwell.  I found Andrew, and brought him to her and said, Andrew, here is the lady who made your blanket.

I didn't know whether Andrew would run away or take the shoes off his feet.  But he stood there, looking up into Lottie’s face, listening to me tell the story of how she had made that blanket to welcome him into the world.  I don’t think that he’s ever looked upon that blanket quite the same way since that day, for now he not only knows the gift, he knows the giver of the gift. 

Christians are called to give thanks in all circumstances.  Answering that call begins with giving thanks for every good gift.  Why?  It’s wrong to take good things for granted.  It’s easy to forget how many good things are in our lives.  But there is a much better reason to give thanks for every good thing.  Every good gift is an opportunity to know the Giver, to know God, to know that we are not lucky or fortunate—we are loved by a Heavenly Father.  Knowing Him is the greatest blessing.  Knowing Him is what every good thing in your life and mine invites us to do. 

The love of every good friend is an invitation to know the One who is closer than a brother. Every meal that feeds our body is a time to remember the One who feeds us by His grace every moment of our lives.  Holding a baby in our arms, we can almost hear him say, “I love you like that.  You’re my child.” Give thanks for every gift is an invitation to know and love the Giver.  

This story will be included in a book, The Stories of My Life, that I hope to complete in 2014.  The book will share about 150 of my life experiences that have taught me about knowing, loving, and living for God.  Stay tuned...