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- Feb 9, 2004
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Finding Just the Right Gift - December 23, 2005
My husband always does a great job of shopping for me at Christmas. After a couple of decades of marriage, he knows that I'm one of those women who never wants anything practical. I told him early on that he would do well to never, ever buy me anything that has an electrical cord.
I think I've learned a thing or two about shopping for him, too. With men in general, it's usually a good idea to find a gift with a huge, florescent warning label saying that bodily damage is almost surely imminent. If the gift can maim, cause vision loss or possibly singe off eyebrows, it's got to be a hit. If it comes with a remote, you might see him tear up.
Want to find out what a special someone on your list would really like? Get to know that someone. Ask good questions. It's easier than you think to find out what that special person might like. The perfect gift may be just a few conversations away. Communication has to be the very best shopper's guide.
If you were shopping for Jesus, what do you suppose would make the perfect gift? I know what He wants. He wants you! And he wants you to know Him. Just as communication is a great way to find out what to buy a special person on your Christmas shopping list, communication with your Heavenly Father is a great way to find out about Him. Get to know Him. Prayer is a huge part of our communication. He wants us to spend time with Him; quality time.
Jesus told us we need private times of prayer. He gave us these great how-to instructions in Matthew 6:5-13: "Also when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward in full already. But when you pray, go into your [most] private room, and, closing the door, pray to your Father, Who is in secret; and your Father, Who sees in secret, will reward you in the open. And when you pray, do not heap up phrases (multiply words, repeating the same ones over and over) as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard for their much speaking. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him." (AMP) Then He gave us the Lord's prayer.
Our Father doesn't want just a show of prayer. He desires sweet, sincere times of communication when we experience Him in a fresh closeness. It's absolutely astounding that when we give that gift of quality time to Jesus, we find it actually becomes an extra delightful gift for us. Now that's just the right gift!
My husband always does a great job of shopping for me at Christmas. After a couple of decades of marriage, he knows that I'm one of those women who never wants anything practical. I told him early on that he would do well to never, ever buy me anything that has an electrical cord.
I think I've learned a thing or two about shopping for him, too. With men in general, it's usually a good idea to find a gift with a huge, florescent warning label saying that bodily damage is almost surely imminent. If the gift can maim, cause vision loss or possibly singe off eyebrows, it's got to be a hit. If it comes with a remote, you might see him tear up.
Want to find out what a special someone on your list would really like? Get to know that someone. Ask good questions. It's easier than you think to find out what that special person might like. The perfect gift may be just a few conversations away. Communication has to be the very best shopper's guide.
If you were shopping for Jesus, what do you suppose would make the perfect gift? I know what He wants. He wants you! And he wants you to know Him. Just as communication is a great way to find out what to buy a special person on your Christmas shopping list, communication with your Heavenly Father is a great way to find out about Him. Get to know Him. Prayer is a huge part of our communication. He wants us to spend time with Him; quality time.
Jesus told us we need private times of prayer. He gave us these great how-to instructions in Matthew 6:5-13: "Also when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward in full already. But when you pray, go into your [most] private room, and, closing the door, pray to your Father, Who is in secret; and your Father, Who sees in secret, will reward you in the open. And when you pray, do not heap up phrases (multiply words, repeating the same ones over and over) as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard for their much speaking. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him." (AMP) Then He gave us the Lord's prayer.
Our Father doesn't want just a show of prayer. He desires sweet, sincere times of communication when we experience Him in a fresh closeness. It's absolutely astounding that when we give that gift of quality time to Jesus, we find it actually becomes an extra delightful gift for us. Now that's just the right gift!
