"I Want You To Have This"

(Friends: I suppose I need to create a special category called "The Jackson Chronicles" because of all the messages my three year old grandson has recently inspired. I'm sure as our granddaughter Emma gets older that she'll do the same, but right now, Jackson seems to frequently say and do things that speak of spiritual truths and blessings. Here's another one. We'll return to the series on confession of sin tomorrow. Glen).

Recently during a visit to our house, Jackson came up to me with a very serious look on his face. He stuck out his hand, and offered me a quarter. "I want you to have this," he said in a very solemn way, and then smiled as he placed the coin in my hand.

I'm old enough to remember when a quarter would get you a Coke, a bag of chips, a candy bar, and "Sir, I'll take a few pieces of gum with what's left." Nowadays, I don't suppose 25 cents will even get you the gum. Nevertheless, the quarter I received from Jackson possesses more value to me than words can express, and interestingly, the coin was minted in 2006, the year of Jackson's birth. "I want you to have this." I'm glad to have it, Jackson, and I'll keep it always.

I am reminded of our relationship with the God who is utterly without need (Acts 17:25). Our triune Lord is perfectly self-existent, and nothing we do for Him adds anything to His perfection, fulfillment, and infinite being. However, much that we do pleases Him, to the degree of delight.

"The prayer of the upright is His delight" (Proverbs 15:8).

"The Lord taketh pleasure in His people" (Psalm 149:4).

Because He doesn't need us, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is able to love us unencumbered by any selfish requirement or desire. The things we do for Him in response to His love are therefore appreciated with a purity of joy and pleasure for which we have no frame of reference. Like Jackson's quarter to me, an offering of love, faith, obedience and devotion given to God is a blessed gift to His heart despite the fact that He has no need for our gift. In fact, it is all the more blessed because He doesn't need it.

I can't buy a Coke, chips, candy, or even gum with the quarter Jackson so graciously gave to me. It is a treasure in my heart, however, and worth more than I have words to express. I am sure that this is far more true in God's heart whenever we trust and obey Him because we love Him, and because He so loves us. "I want You to have this." We can be sure that our offerings of love are received with love, and bring delight and pleasure beyond measure in the Heart we seek to bless.

"And He looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And He saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites." And He said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: for all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had."

(Luke 21:1-4)

"By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name."

(Hebrews 13:15)

"Give unto the LORD the glory due unto His name: bring an offering, and come into His courts."

(Psalm 96:8)