Verse of the Day and Devotional 1/2/2025

by Bible League International,

Narrated by Artificial Intelligence, Eric,

Click Above to Read/Listen to the Devotional,

Scripture

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16 NIV

Devotion

The act of giving has always been a dominant theme in our home, especially when the kids were little. Frequently, our youngest daughter would run into the house with a handful of flowers for her mom, or she would color a picture for me to hang in my office. Our older daughter would draw amazingly intricate depictions of butterflies and enclose it with an endearing note, and my wife would treat the girls to an afternoon of pedicures, a movie, and lunch at a special restaurant. Similarly, I did my best to surprise my wife and daughters with random gifts for no particular reason as often as possible. The amount of love in our house is incredible, and a natural result of that abundant love is the outpouring of gifts.

Through the years, I’ve noticed that generic gifts have been exchanged at office parties, and that obligatory flowers are sent during certain social events. Such giving is perfunctory and does not involve the warmth of tender emotion. These gifts are of little value and are rarely remembered or appreciated beyond the immediacy of the occasion.

What a contrast as compared with gifts given out of love! I have boxes full of drawings from our kids and cards from my wonderful wife. I also have frequent moments of incomprehensible gratitude for the touch of Jesus Christ. The Bible teaches that God is love. Where’s the proof? It’s found in the gifts that He has given.

Repeatedly throughout Scripture, the Lord has blessed His people with guidance, protection, and provision. He miraculously intervened on behalf of His beloved, and divinely made a way when there was no other. To Moses, He provided food from heaven and water from a rock. To Solomon, He gave wisdom “greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East” (1 Kings 4:30). To Ezekiel, He gave flesh to an army of dry bones. To the whole world, He gave a baby in a manger.

Because of man’s sin, we are forever unworthy of eternal life with the Father. Grieved beyond measure that His beloved children would otherwise remain separated from Him, He created a bridge through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Enduring relentless ridicule from religious leaders, tormenting scourge from Roman soldiers, and bitter agony of a brutal cross, Jesus gave everything that He had to redeem mankind unto Himself.

Jesus is the true gift of love.