Advent Devotional 7
Recently, I was asked ‘what is the greatest gift God has ever given me.’ My initial reaction to this question was, of course, my children! But that seemed so cliché. God has given me SO many gifts. There must be a better gift, maybe one that doesn’t also cause frustration and heartache. So, I dwelled on this question for a few weeks. My answer always came back to my family.
God used my family to grow me. I first became involved in teaching Sunday School so my shy little ones with separation anxiety would attend and learn about Jesus. Teaching Sunday School was not something I would have embarked on had I not been a parent. As I taught others about Jesus, I expanded my own knowledge of Christ and His Kingdom.
My children have been involved in different sports and activities. All of which enlarged my circle of friends and fellow Christians. Seeing them interact with others during these activities gave me a chance to see how they apply what they’ve learned about God in how they treated others.
Through my children I’ve seen first-hand how God can mold and influence others. I’ve listened to them talk about God to their friend. Making my heart swell each time they were confident enough to share their believes. I’ve also heard them apologize for things because they knew their actions were not Christ like. Humbling me each time and reminding me to evaluate my own thoughts and actions.
So, although God gave me children to teach about Christ, through them and husband, my relationship with Christ has deepened. Psalms 127:3 says “Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.” I am not sure why God chose to bless me with this reward, but my children and family are definitely the greatest gift I’ve ever received.
Suzanne Melendez
