The Giving God

by QUARTUS | Category: The For Young Believers | Jun 1953

Our God is a giving God. He delights in giving, and has ever delighted in doing so. "Every good gift (R.V.M. giving) and every perfect boon is from above, coming down from the Father of lights" (James 1.17). Each gift of God is essentially good. Each favour bestowed is completely perfect. And in addition, all such find their true origin in Him.

This characteristic is fully illustrated in God's dealings with Adam. God made man in His own image and likeness. He gave him dominion over fish, fowl, cattle, creeping thing and over all the earth. He gave every herb yielding seed and every tree yielding fruit. In the garden of Eden, He gave him pleasant scenery, good food, a plentiful water supply and a delightful environment. As a crowning achievement, God presented him with a " help meet for him," " The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me."

All the godly men of the Old Testament bear witness to the fact that God had given them very much indeed, Time will fail us if we furnish the testimonies of Abraham, Isaac, Joshua and the prophets. The sons of Korah sum up concisely,

"For the LORD God is a Sun and Shield:

The LORD will give grace and glory:

"No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly"

(Psalm 84.11).

But the greatest expression of God's eternal character is seen when we come to the New Testament. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son." All the tongues of men and of angels are inadequate to express the value of God's unspeakable, inexpressible Gift. The Gift is higher than mind can conceive and language can express. It has been truly stated that He was unspeakable because of His own infinite greatness and worth, because of the inexpressible love thus displayed, because of the unutterable sufferings He endured, and because of the inexpressible benefits which result from His work. Throughout His life on earth the Lord revealed His Father.

Although the saying is not recorded in any of the four Gospels, Paul tells us that the Lord Jesus said, " It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20.35). His practice accorded with His precept. He -gave food, sight, hearing, healing, cleansing, forgiveness, freedom from demon-possession and other manifold gracious gifts. Even in the extreme anguish of the cruel cross He asked His Father to forgive those who crucified Him. In response to the repentant dying thief's request, "Remember me when Thou comest in Thy kingdom," He gave him the assurance, "To-day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise" (Luke 23.42, 48). He even gave the solace of a son to His Sorrowing mother (John 19.25-27).

Yet, wonderful as these gifts are, the greatest expression of His giving was when He gave Himself. "The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20.28). He gave Himself a Ransom for all upon the cross. "Christ ... through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish unto God" (Hebrews 9.14).

"For us He died upon the tree,

For us was shed His blood,

But more than that since unto Thee

He gave Himself, 0 God.

Christ, spotless, offered Thee Himself,

Oh what a Gift divine

Its fragrant worth no tongue can tell,

What joy, 0 God, was Thine!"

We rejoice to think that the principle enunciated by the Lord Himself in Luke 6.38, will be blessedly true in His own case:

"Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again. "

He gave Himself! What good measure will He in turn receive in the ages to come! Of joy, glory and every other blessing, He will receive an unlimited and eternal portion, pressed down and shaken together. His cup shall surely be full and running over. With that abundant measure He gave Himself it shall be abundantly measured to Him again, only more and more exceedingly. "That in all things He might have the preeminence."

QUARTUS | Jun 1953
The For Young Believers