What God gives us

Good morning from Glen Eyrie in Colorado Springs, Colorado! I’m not sure what the temperature is, but I’m wrapped up in my quilt shivering in my hotel room as I type this. It’s marvelous!

My best buddy, Katie Morford, and I are attending a writing workshop here this week, and so far it’s been a lot of fun. And we’ve only had one session! The real work starts today.

Are you ever shocked at what God gives you? What He trusts you with? How He provides for you? God blows my mind every morning when the sun comes up that He’s chosen to give me another day.

God gives us good things — great things — every day. Every moment, really. But most of the time, we are so caught up in the busyness of life that we either don’t see it or we refuse to acknowledge it.

He gives us air to breathe. He gives us a home to live in. He gave you a computer to read this blog this morning. He gave me a netbook (thank you, Andy!) and an internet connection to write this blog with this morning. We have clothes to wear, food to eat and many of us have jobs or at least some kind of income. Each of those things are huge.

But God doesn’t just stop there. He goes beyond just giving us what we need. Many times He gives us the things we want too. Fun things (like a trip to Colorado). Exciting things (like an unexpected opportunity to pitch my manuscript at an experienced writer). Encouraging things (like six whole days hanging with my best friend).

The verse this morning is Luke 11:13.

¹³ If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

I have had a really great example of what it means to be a parent. I have the most awesome parents in the world, who have really shown me what it means to be loved and protected and encouraged. They sacrificed to give me things that I needed — and things that I wanted too.

But no matter how much I love and adore my parents, they are still people. They aren’t perfect.

God, however, as my Heavenly Father is completely, entirely, wholly perfect. He always has been, and He always will be because He can’t be anything else.

So think about that. If my parents, who aren’t perfect, have given me so much . . . how much more can God give me? What more can God provide for me? It’s mind boggling. God made the universe. He made time itself. He made everything we see and everything that we don’t see.  And He’s offering to provide for me like a parent? He’s offering me the chance for Him to give me the things I need?

Can you wrap your head around that? I can’t.

Imagine the resources at our very fingertips! Imagine the things that He wants to give us! Imagine the help He wants to provide us!

So why don’t we accept it? Do we not think it’s real? Do we not think His offer is real? Do we think He’s unable to help?

Do we think we’re unworthy of His help? Well, that’s absolutely true. None of us are worthy of anything God wants to do for us. No one is worthy of any good thing God can give. But that is the point. That is who God is.

We’re not worthy of salvation, but He saves us anyway because He loves us. We’re not worthy of a relationship with us, but He seeks us out and brings us home because He loves us. We’re not worthy of His aid, but He offers it freely because He loves us.

I don’t know about you, but I need His help. And I’m going to be relying on it pretty strongly today.

God is standing by, eagerly waiting to help anyone who asks. So why don’t we ask?