Beautiful presents
The Apostle James writes in his letter: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (Jak 1,17).
When I look at God's gifts, I realize that he is bringing life. The light, the glory of nature, the golden sunrises, the bright colors of the sunsets over snow-capped peaks, the lush green of the woods, the sea of colors in a meadow full of flowers. I see many other things that we can all admire only if we take some time for them. God gives us all these things in abundance, no matter what conviction you represent. The believer, the atheist, the agnostic, the non-believer and the different believer, all of them can enjoy these good gifts. God makes it rain over the righteous and the unrighteous. He gives these good gifts to all people.
Think about the amazing skills people have in technology, construction, sports, music, literature, the arts - the list has no end. God has given each person abilities. People of all backgrounds were blessed abundantly. Where else do these abilities come from, if not from the Father of Light, the giver of all good gifts?
On the other hand, there is much suffering and sorrow in the world. People have been drawn into a vortex of hatred, greed, recklessness, and things that cause great suffering. One only has to look at the world and its political orientations to see how serious it is. We see both the good and the bad in the world and in human nature.
What beautiful gifts does God give the believer, who meets the good and the bad in this world? These are precisely the people James is addressing, to encourage them to view it as a very special reason to rejoice when undergoing trials of all kinds.
The salvation
First and foremost, there is the word of Jesus, that whoever believes in the only begotten Son of God will be saved. Saved from what? He or she will be saved from the wages of sin, which is eternal death. Likewise, Jesus spoke about the tax collector who stood in the temple beating his breast and said, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner!” I tell you, this man went down to his house justified.Lk 18,1314).
The certainty of forgiveness
Unfortunately, due to our wrongdoing, we strive to be guilty through life. Some people try to justify their guilt, but they remain.
There are many reasons why our past transgressions haunt us. That's why some people go to psychologists seeking solutions. No human counseling can do what the shed blood of Jesus makes possible. Only through Jesus can we have the assurance that everything is forgiven us—in our past, present, and even future. Only in Christ are we free. As Paul said, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. (Röm 8,1).
Furthermore, we have the assurance that if we sin again and “confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1. Joh 1,9).
The Holy Spirit
Jesus also said that the Father of light and giver of good gifts will give us the gift of the Holy Spirit—so much more than our human parents can do for us. He assured his disciples that although he was leaving, his Father's promise, as it is written in Joel 3,1 was prophesied, what happened on the day of Pentecost would be fulfilled. The Holy Spirit came down on them and has been in and with all believing Christians ever since.
When we accept Christ and receive the Holy Spirit, we have not received a spirit of fear, but the spirit of power, love, and self-discipline. (2. Tim 1,7)This power enables us to resist the attacks of evil, to oppose it, and thus it flees from us.
Love
Galater 5,22-23 It describes the fruit the Holy Spirit produces in us. There are nine aspects of this fruit, beginning with and embedded in love. Because God loved us first, we are empowered to “love the Lord our God with all our heart and our neighbor as ourselves.” Love is so important that Paul, in 1. Korinther 13 He wrote a definition of them and described what we can become through them. He concludes that there are three things that remain – faith, hope, and love, but love is the greatest of them.
A healthy mind
This allows us to live as children of the living God in the hope of salvation, salvation and eternal life. When difficulties arise, we may become confused and even lose hope, but if we wait for the Lord, he will carry us through.
After more than seventy years in which I have been privileged to lead a blessed life as a committed Christian, I can echo the words of King David: “The righteous man will suffer many things, but the Lord will deliver him from them all.” (Ps 34,20)There were times when I didn't know how to pray, so I had to wait silently, and when I looked back, I could see that I wasn't alone. Even when I questioned God's existence, He waited patiently to help me out of the crisis and to make me look up so that I could see the greatness of His glory and creation. In one such situation, He had asked Job, "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?" (Hiob 38,4).
The peace
Jesus also said: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. […] Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (Joh 14,27)In our worst times, he gives us peace that far surpasses all understanding.
Die Hoffnung
In addition, he gives us eternal life as our highest gift, and the joyful hope of being with him forever, where there will be no more suffering or pain, and where all tears will be wiped away. (Offb 21,4).
Salvation, forgiveness, peace, hope, love and a healthy mind are but a few of the good gifts promised to the believer. They are very real. Even more real than all of them is Jesus. He is our salvation, our forgiveness, our peace, our hope, our love and our sound mind - the very best and perfect gift that comes from the Father.
People who do not belong to the faithful, whether atheists, agnostics or people of other faiths should also enjoy these good gifts. By accepting the offer of salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and trusting that God will give them the Holy Spirit, they will experience a new life and divine relationship with the Triune God, who is the giver of all good gifts. You have the choice.
by Eben D. Jacobs
