It was the evening of my birthday; and I had just checked in for my flight to Lisbon at the Munich airport. My friends in Portugal were waiting for my arrival, to spend time and start this new year of my life with me. There was still some time left before boarding so I strolled through the different duty-free shops, cafés and newspaper stands. One particular store caught my attention: the watch retailer. While going through the store I spotted a gold-coloured delicate watch in one glass cabinet; it was love at first sight. I went around the store but found myself drawn to that specific watch. I kept going back to that same glass cabinet. I decided to treat myself for my birthday and bought that watch as a gift to myself. After paying for it, the friendly saleslady put it on my wrist and I admired it for the rest of the day.

Have you ever thought about the gift that God gave to Himself? James tells us: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.” He points out that each of you, and all of God’s people, are included among these good and perfect gifts. That is kind of a strange thought at first since you usually think of God’s gifts as being those physical or spiritual blessings that He gives to you. But here James says that each one of us is personally a gift from God. Through the prophet Isaiah, God speaks of His people as those He formed for Himself, that they might bring Him glory (Isaiah 43:7). James is expressing the same thought here. He is saying: You are God’s gift to Himself. He gave you birth and shaped you by His word in order that you might bring Him glory by living in obedience—in order that you might be the gift that He wants! “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17.  Every sort of giving that is good, and every single gift that is complete and perfect, all come from above—from God. So many things come to mind. God gave you His only Son. He gave you His word and the Holy Spirit. He gave you talents, friends and unique experiences. All of this comes from the Father who does not change, He is always giving good and perfect gifts. But the one gift that you might overlook because you are too close to see it, is yourself. Your life of obedience to God which begins in the heart and shows in your actions is a gift that comes from Him and is designed to be presented to Him. So never forget: You are God’s desire fulfilled. You are God’s gift to Himself!

Manuela Di Franca