I remember as a boy watching my parents, aunts & uncles stress all summer over, “What do we get mother (my grandma)?” I remember one Christmas at her house. Her tree was simple. I remember the Christmas candy in the crystal candy dish… same ribbon candy, each piece stuck in the same place, year after year. The big moment came as everyone found a place in the living room, will she or will she not like her gift? They (mom, dad and all my aunts & uncles) had wrapped only one of the smaller pieces for her to unwrap. As she tore the gift paper away, she paused and said, “You can have this back. I don’t need this.” That was the year we divided up a complete set of American Tourister luggage. I don’t remember a trip we took after that Christmas that grandma’s unwanted luggage didn’t go along with us!

There are people who are great gift givers. They shop all year. They have gifts stored all over their house. These people intimidate me. They give unique & special gifts. But me, well it’s been a hit & miss these 50 years with my sweet wife Mary. I’ll never forget the thought I had put into the needed & practical gift…something she had mentioned. That was the year she never guessed what was in the big box under the tree. It was a Shop Vac. Oh, and then there was the year I gave a more personal gift, Tupperware. I remember one Christmas Eve afternoon when I gathered up our young daughters and said rushing out the door, “Come on girls! We’ve got to get to the store. I need you to tell me what you think your mom wants.”

What to give can be stressful. “Will they like it?” The “What if …,” can become the Shop Vac that sucks all the joy away. So, what gift can you give to a king? After all, the king has everything. Then when the King is the King of Kings it can get heavy. That same human emotion surfaces, what if…? The answer to this question is found in 2 Chronicles 7:14. “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways…”.

God desires a personal, on-going, trust relationship with Him. He told us in Exodus 20:3, “You shall have no other gods before me.” In Deuteronomy 6:5, Mark 12:30, Luke 10:27 He said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” Then Jesus summed up everything in Matthew 22:37-40, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

The world’s gifts are purchased with the world’s currency, money. God’s economy has a different currency, TIME. God desires us to spend time with Him. Focused, uninterrupted, intentional time. And here is the Promise, He will not reject your gift. No matter who you are, what you have done, He, the King of Kings desires you to give Him your heart and say, “I Love You.” Think about it.

Jesus said, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” Revelation 3:20