VALUE COMES FROM THE GIVER, NOT THE GIFT

SCRIPTURE: Ezekial 16:13-16

“‘You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen. And your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect,’ declares the Sovereign LORD.

‘But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute. You lavished your favors on anyone who passed by and your beauty became his. You took some of your garments to make gaudy high places, where you carried on your prostitution. Such things should not happen, nor should they ever occur.’”

OBSERVATION:

It is an amazing thing how this happens - not to mention how often this happens. Ezekial is painting a picture of the relationship between God and His people. God finds us, or we approach God, beaten up by circumnstances and life. God cleans us up, heals our wounds, place value in us, gifts us with abilities and influence. We get so wrapped up and consumed with the gift that we ignore the giver. We become deceived and belive that it is the gifts that impart value rather than the giver of the gift confirming the value he has given us thru gifting us.

APPLICATION:

God makes all things beautiful in His time - yes, even us. When I see beauty in my life I want it to cause me to trust in God and not in myself. I want it to inspire praise and worship to the one who gives me value and gifted me beauty (character, influence, family, finances, etc.). I don’t want to trust in the beauty but in the one who makes me beautiful.

PRAYER:

Father, thank you that you are doing a thing of beauty in my life. You have gifted me with health and relationships. You have given me a purpose and the talents to walk that purpose out. You have blessed me with so much. I remember who I am with and without you. I choose to give remain in you, the One who makes me beautiful and established my worth. Thank you for all the things you have done and all the you have poured into my life. In Jesus Name, AMEN!