Daily Devotionals

Believe It or Not Week 3 Saturday

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. James 1:17

We have been talking all week that God is the supreme creator who created Heaven and earth. Everything in Heaven points to Him, from the butterflies to bright blue skies. It is all His work of art. Truthfully, creation displays His glory. It is also a gift for humanity. You see, He gave us this beautiful world to live in and be our home. Everything on this earth is a gift from Him. We have to decide if we will choose to see it as a gift. 

James reminds us that this world and everything in it is a gift from God in James 1. Here is what he wrote: “Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow” (verse 17). It is clear from this verse: everything good and perfect in this world is a gift from God, who is the creator of everything, including all of the lights in the heavens. This means that everything He created is a gift. 

The same God who turned on all the lights and brought out every star still gives good gifts. Our universe isn’t an accident but rather skillfully crafted by our creator. He is the one who cares for us.

God has given us beautiful gift after beautiful gift. The question is, do we recognize them when we see them? Unfortunately, it can be easy to be so caught up in our schedule and routine that we miss God’s gifts right in front of us. So let’s commit to taking note of the gifts God gifts us each and every day, from the wonderful people God has put into our lives to the double rainbow that appears after a monsoon. After all, every good and perfect gift comes from Him, and He never changes.

Moving Toward Action

Let’s be on the lookout for the gifts Creator God gives us today. First, make a note of every single gift God gives you today. Then, on the Notes app on your phone or in a notebook, record each of these gifts, from big to small gifts. Finally, at the end of this day, pull out that list and thank God for all of the gifts He has given you today.

Going Deeper

James 1:1-18 (NLT)

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.