God gives

The other Sunday in Church, we were each given the most beautiful hand-crafted spheres covered in cross-stitched patchwork pieces of worked delicate flowers. The words hope, joy, love and peace had been stitched in and along the seams pearly beads created an incredibly stunning, exquisite keep-sake. Each one simply gorgeous! A huge amount of time and effort and care must have been spent on the individual gifts! I asked the friend I was sitting next to how she felt having such a present? She beamed her reply; I feel very special. No one has ever given me anything as lovely as this!

I don't know what special or pleasing gifts you will receive this Christmas. But I do know that God longs for us to welcome and enjoy the gift of his presence with us. Our God, Emmanuel! As we enter the Christmas celebrations, may we be aware of just how special each of us is to God and how he truly delights to give to us the best gift of all, that is himself. No one has ever given us anything as wonderful!

  In this poem I recognise so some of the many gifts God wants you to open and enjoy:

God gives

words for our living

light for our directing

comfort for our consoling

strength for our enduring

love songs for our delighting.

God gives

hope in our doubting

mercy in our cleansing

faith in our believing

trust in our struggling

joy in our walking.

God, you always give

what is needful

for our blessing.

©Unpublished Hilary Allen