Hold Nothing Back - Devotional 4

"I said to the Lord, 'You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from you.'” – Psalm 16:2

If you pause for a moment and think about every good thing in your life, could you list them all out? We’re talking about e v e r y t h i n g…  Your health... Your family and friends... Your loved ones... Your work... The roof over your head... The food in your fridge... The money in your account... And don’t forget that you’re probably reading this email on a device valued at hundreds of dollars via a high speed service that you pay a premium for. All of those and so much more that we cannot list here are good gifts. The truth is, if you started keeping track of all the good things in your life you would end up being here much longer than you anticipated. But here’s what you need to know: Every good thing you have in your life is a gift from your Heavenly Father. All of it! There is no good thing you have had, have at this moment, or will have in the future that does not come from God. This is exactly what James, the brother of Jesus, said...

"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

These gifts are not yours because you are good. They are yours because God is good and He is the one who has blessed you with it. Only God is good. And just as King David wrote in Psalm 16, “Every good thing [you] have comes from [Him].”

Reflections Questions:

• Take a few moments to list out the 10 most meaningful “gifts” (people, things, opportunities, etc.) in your life and give God thanks for providing those to you.
• When you reflect on the good things in your life, what do you believe it says about God’s love for you?