Perfect Gifts From Above

James 1:16 - 18 (NIV version) 

"Don't be deceived, my brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created."

Verses 16 to 18 have multiple facets to them. They explain various concepts in a go. 

An Alert

Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Mr. James started his paragraph with an alert about what we receive in life. He goes on to explain why he is asking his people to be alert. We are often deceived by the desires of our hearts. We know that the heart is deceitful of all and whatever the heart says, we do it. Whatever our eyes want, we pursue and try to get it. So let's be reminded of the difference between what we want and what God gives to us. 

A Fact

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the father of heavenly lights.  

All that we have in our lives is what we have received. Then why don't we ask the giver himself? If you want something, someone, a promotion, or material things, etc, etc, it's better that we first ask God if He wants to give it to us in His goodwill. 

An Affirmation

Who does not change like shifting shadows. 

Here James is backing up what he stated above that the perfect gift songs from God do not change like shifting shadows. If we think of shadows, we pretty much know how short and fast, and Easily they change. Shadows are shorter than vapor -  at least vapor has weight and steadily goes up into the air.

In this world of constant change, people change, health changes, circumstances change, economies, governments, and everything else change in the flip of a second. Here's James telling us that God does not change and His gifts are perfect and come from the father of heavenly lights. Isn't this a great affirmation that our God gives us awesome gifts that are perfect are flawless? Yes, I understand it takes time for us to wait patiently for his timing and his gifts and his perfect gift from above but trust me waiting for God makes our lives so easier.

A Confirmation

 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. 

He explains why he thinks that God is so perfect. He backs it up with an explanation saying - Obviously God is good and he gives us perfect gifts because he chose to give us birth through the word of truth. Mr. James is referring to the salvation that we have - So this paragraph applies to those who are saved in his grace. 

And he continues to say that God gave us salvation so that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. So that we might be like the initial Adam and Eve that he created. He gave us the chance to be his children - So logically, James says that God gives perfect gifts to his children who are called to be HIS. 

Just meditating and re-reading the three verses gives us such hope about God and his timing and his gifts. 

 So,

• Let's not be deceived.
• Let's wait.
• Let's trust God for his timing.
• Let's wait on God for his perfect gifts.
• Let's celebrate the fact that we are chosen and we are kind of firstfruits of all that he created.

Have A Good Day