The Good and Perfect Gift!

James 1:16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Contrary to the previous verse where James warns against making the statement that God tempts us, or entices us to evil, he tells the believers to not be deceived. In fact, it is quite the opposite. God never wills evil. Instead God is the source of every perfect and good gift from above. It is perfect in the sense of fitting for what we really need. It is good because it comes from God who is good. He cannot not but give good gifts.

God's gifts will always be good and perfect because his nature and character never change. When we take time to think about the really good and perfect gifts in our lives, it is easy to see why they come from God. Like our birth, our parents and family, our friends, and the gifts he gives us to serve Him and others. And they are all from him.

Of course the greatest gift He has given us is Himself in the person of Jesus. Jesus shows how good and perfect God is. He never fails to do good in all of his dealings with us when he came to earth. His gifts are perfect in the sense of they they are he right thing, at the right time, for the right reason. He gave us the gift of forgiveness and a reconciled relationship with God, it is exactly what we needed. The time had come to fulfill God's plan for all time. Jesus was the perfect man and the perfect plan for all humankind.

When we are tempted to blame God for what goes on around us, we must remember God is good and perfect. He can never act or decide against His very nature and character. That is good news for us. The only question is have you received the gift? Have you in faith in the good and perfect gift God has given us in His Son Jesus Christ?

At just the right Jesus died for you and me? He knew exactly what we needed. The only question is will you accept this perfect gift and trust what God has given you? You can do that right now, God is always waiting for you. That will never change. Amen.

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