Many of you know that this year I wrote a book, The Best Gifts of Christmas. Isn’t that what we look for when we are getting gifts for those we love? The Best Gifts.
It’s easy enough to buy the latest trinket or gadget but when it’s a gift for the love of your life, that special someone, a dear friend or family member the decision on what to get is a bit more difficult.
This morning in my Bible reading I came across this verse in Hebrews.
“Let us give thanks all the time to God through Jesus Christ. Our gift to Him is to give thanks. Our lips should always give thanks to His name. 16 Remember to do good and help each other. Gifts like this please God.” Hebrews 13:15-16 NLV
One of the best gifts we can give our heavenly Father is the gift of praise. We can give Him our thankful hearts, expressing praise for the wonderful things He has done for us.
Over the last few days Facebook has been flooded with 2018 Yearbooks. They are helping us remember our past year by providing a collage of the images we have posted and others have “liked”.
But what if we made our own collage of things we know God has done for us over the past year. A collage of praise, overlapping from one blessing to the next, giving God thanks for ALL He has done.
“Everything good comes from God. Every perfect gift is from him. These good gifts come down from the Father who made all the lights in the sky. But God never changes like the shadows from those lights. He is always the same. 18 God decided to give us life through the true message he sent to us. He wanted us to be the most important of all that he created.” James 1:17-18 ERV
Our loving Father has given us every good and perfect gift that we receive. He has given us the best. What He desires in return is our thanks, our gratitude, our love. There is nothing better that we can give Him.
There’s a song that’s been circulating the last few years, it has a familiar melody but the lyrics have been rewritten. A friend sent it to me in a message the other morning and as I listened my eyes filled with tears as my heart overflowed with gratitude. I hope it does the same for you.
I’ve heard about this baby boy
Who’s come to earth to bring us joy
And I just want to sing this song to you
It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
With every breath I’m singing Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
A couple came to Bethlehem
Expecting child, they searched the inn
To find a place for You were coming soon
There was no room for them to stay
So in a manger filled with hay
God’s only Son was born, oh Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
The shepherds left their flocks by night
To see this baby wrapped in light
A host of angels led them all to You
It was just as the angels said
You’ll find Him in a manger bed
Immanuel and Savior, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
A star shown bright up in the east
To Bethlehem, the wisemen three
Came many miles and journeyed long for You
And to the place at which You were
Their frankincense and gold and myrrh
They gave to You and cried out Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
I know You came to rescue me
This baby boy would grow to be
A man and one day die for me and you
My sins would drive the nails in You
That rugged cross was my cross, too
Still every breath You drew was Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Father, accept our heart-felt hallelujahs as our gift of praise for all You have given to us.