The Lord is giving, which is a characteristic of who He is. There is not a day that goes by that the Lord is not giving us a gift such as food, shelter, the gift of faith, family, and the list goes on. Without a giving God, we could not survive one day. You may remember a unique gift that someone gave you, where the act of giving was more impactful than the gift itself.
The Lord Gave the Israelites the Gift of Jericho
The gifts the Lord gives often surprise us; many are unique. As the Israelites prepared to enter the Promised Land, the town of Jericho, with its enormous walls, was a significant obstacle to overcome. To the people’s surprise, the Lord told Joshua He would give them the city.
Joshua 6:1 Now, the gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one was allowed to go out or in. 2 But the Lord said to Joshua, “I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors.[1]
Before this conversation with God, Joshua may have wondered how they would overcome such a walled city. In many ways, we may wonder how the Lord will work out situations in our lives, and a gift appears. This gift could be the Lord working through you, another person, or another way you did not expect.
A Gift is Not Earned
The gift of overcoming Jericho was a gift the Israelites did not deserve, which is why it is a gift. As this gift unfolded for the Israelites, the Lord made what seemed impossible possible. Paul speaks of the gift of faith, which we can’t earn and don’t deserve. This is why faith is such a unique gift.
Ephesians 2:8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. [2]
If you believe in Jesus, you have received a gift of a lifetime. The gift of faith cost Jesus His life, making the gift of faith so unique there are no words to describe it. May you praise the Lord for this beautiful gift.
To learn how the Lord is giving, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/journey-victory
[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Jos 6:1–2). Tyndale House Publishers.
[2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Eph 2:8–10). Tyndale House Publishers.