LYW Part 4: The Ultimate Gift

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“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Jim Stovall authored a powerful story called The Ultimate Gift.  The story is about the last will and testament of Red Stevens, a very wealthy man, and his hope to leave his spoiled and attitude-challenged nephew something more than money and possessions.  Red had learned that happiness comes only from the gifts God has given us not the abundance of one’s possessions.  In Stovall’s book the ultimate gift is the gift of love expressed in a life filled with gratitude for what God has given us.  While a moving story (and film), I kept wondering if Red Stevens might have had an even greater impact if he had not waited till after his death to pass on this “ultimate gift” to his nephew.

As followers of Christ, LIVING your will now ought to be more important than simply LEAVING a will after we’re gone.  Some might say that the ultimate gift we can give to anyone in this life is the gift of eternal life God offers through His Son, Jesus Christ. While I agree, might I be so bold as to suggest that perhaps the ultimate gift involves more than a ticket to heaven.  The best gift we can give our grandchildren is to show them now what it means to know Christ intimately, to live for Him wholeheartedly, and to share God’s gift compassionately.  That is the ultimate gift of love we can give to the next generations!

FANNING THE FLAME
How are you doing with your personal 30-Day Spiritual Adventure?  Don’t lose heart if you find it difficult to remain consistent.  Pick up where you left off and move forward another step.  In The Ultimate Gift Red Stevens records a video tape for his nephew in which he says, “In trying to make up for all the times I wasn’t there, I gave [my family] material things.  In doing so, I robbed them of everything that makes life wonderful.”  My hope is that you and I will not make the same mistake.  This spiritual “adventure” is not about giving away things, but giving that which will help the recipients discover what real living is all about.  I encourage you to read or watch “The Ultimate Gift”.  May it be said that we faithfully seized every opportunity to give and pass on the ultimate gift of Life (with a capital “L”) to those we love.

GRANDPAUSE: “I have come that they (His sheep) may have life, and have it to the full.” -Jesus (John 10:10b)

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