Well, it’s that time of year again.  Time for “The Christmas Lists”.

The Virkler family has a time-honored tradition of asking all of us, regardless of age, to make up Christmas lists.  Some are written on scraps of paper and some are printed out with fancy computer graphics.  Some are long and some are short. Some are logical and some are totally and hilariously impractical.  The completed lists are hung (with variety of kitchen magnets, of course) on the refrigerator at my parent’s house.

I’ll write down the things that I want the most or things that I really believe I need.  But as much as I might really, really want some of those gifts on my list, I know that whatever they choose for me, whether on my list or not, I’ll be happy.

It’s not the gift that’s important, it’s the giver.

I trust my family to be good to me.  Why is it that  sometimes I’m afraid to trust God to give me the best gifts He can?  Why am I so hesitant to say, “Here’s what I want/think I need, but I’m leaving the choice up to You”?

In his book, “When God Says No”, author Leith Anderson wrote, “The ultimate issue of faith isn’t whether we get the gift we seek, but whether we trust the Giver to be good.  Faith isn’t about answers.  Faith is about God”.

I’ve given God a Christmas list this year, too.  (Is it irreverant to picture this huge refrigerator door in heaven that He hangs it on?).  The things on that list aren’t necessarily the things on my “family” list. I believe God wants to see my list.  I believe He really cares about my list.  But if He chooses to give me something else, that’s OK.

I still trust the Giver to be good.

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!  Matthew 7:11

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. James 1:17

For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. Psalm 84:11