Our generous Father

At the time of writing, we are in the short period between our two children’s birthdays. My husband and I have been chatting about the fact that choosing and giving gifts to our kids is one of our favourite parts of being parents. It gives us the chance to consider each child and their likes, their skills, their personalities, and the people they are becoming as they turn another year older.

I genuinely think that I love seeing my kids’ faces when they open a gift I’ve chosen for them more than I love receiving presents myself. (That said, I may have shed a tear when presented with the finger-knitted snake my son had lovingly made for me this Christmas.) But even though I know God is my Father, I don’t often think of Him in this way: the Father who loves to give good gifts to His children, who delights in them receiving good things from Him. And as such, I’m missing out.

Every good and perfect gift

Sure, I can quote James 1v17 that “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights,” but I so often view this as a rap on the knuckles for not being thankful enough to God for what He’s given me. I’m quick to forget the “all things” God graciously gives to those for whom He gave up His Son (Rom. 8v32) and somehow view God as someone who gives us our needs, but is begrudging about giving us treats lest they rot our teeth or something.