The Gift

Tuesday, November 24, 2020
Listen to this devotional:
Listen while you read: "Love Lifted Me"1 (Lyrics)

I grew up in a family that had the funds for necessities, but nothing for extras. For our birthdays, we never received a gift; we had only a cake. Mother wrapped coins and placed them in between layers of the cake. Each of us always hoped that we would be the one who got the quarter.

When I became a teenager, I started to babysit. I would give my money to Mother to hold or use. On my sixteenth birthday, there was not just a cake but also a little box wrapped in fancy paper with the words, "Happy birthday Ruth".

I opened the box to see a tiny ladies' wind-up Longines Wittnauer wristwatch with a stainless-steel back. It was too fancy to wear every day, but I wore it to church on Sunday. I have that watch today, and it still works, keeping good time. Mother used some of my money to buy me a gift.

Today, I can't see the name on the watch due to some eyesight failure. But I know that the watch is still the original bought as the gift for my sixteenth birthday. I looked for my watch online and saw that it had a two-year guarantee that has long since expired.

This all reminds me of the greatest gift given to mankind.

Galatians 4:4-5 – But when the time was fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. (NIV)

God sent His Son Jesus to earth to pay the penalty for our sin on Calvary.

Romans 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NIV)

John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (NIV)

All these centuries later, the salvation that Jesus bought for us with His life still works. Just as I had to accept the gift of the watch to make it mine, so we need to accept this free gift of God, eternal life, that He offers to everyone. Accepting Jesus as Saviour comes with a guarantee that never expires: "I will never leave you; I will never forsake you." What a Saviour!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, may we personally know Your gift, Jesus Christ, by acceptance of His work on the cross for us. May we be daily mindful of Your love for us and share it with others. We ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

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About the author:

Ruth Rowe <ruthjohn.rowe@gmail.com>
Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada

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1 Comment

  • PresbyCan Feedback says:

    Great words of comfort, and what a great memory.


    Brings me a smile as I read this loving memory. Thank you.


    A great story and reminder. Thank you and blessings, Ruth!


    Good job, Ruth, in connecting your story to such wonderful news.


    What a special memory this must be for you! Thank God for the gift of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. Thanks for sharing. Blessings.


    This is one of my favorite devotionals received from daily@presbycan. Thank you for sharing your experience with us and what it meant to you.
    (South Carolina, USA)


    Thank you, Ruth. I, too, had a cake for my birthday when growing up but presents we couldn’t have. I am so grateful to my mother for how hard she worked to put food on the table. What a blessing were such Moms. And of course, what a blessing that our eternal life is a free gift, always there for us, forever!


    Hello Ruth,
    Thank you for another great devotional. It really brought back the memories of when my Mom used to wrap coins to put in the birthday cake when us kids had a birthday. It really was special and as you relate in this devotional, we really have the most special gift of all in having Jesus as our ever loving Saviour. His love and care for us is boundless and truly very special.
    Blessings for your thoughts and writings.
    (B.C.)


    HI Ruth,
    One Christmas I received an orlon sweater. You may remember orlon…my memory is that I didn’t like it much. It was the year I was a freshman in university. I did not know that our home had been robbed and my Dad’s business had been robbed. Of all the Christmases there were growing up in a loving home, that Christmas with its paucity of gifts but plenty of love is the one I remember.
    Thank you for your devotional.
    (Texas)


    Good morning Ruth,
    Good devotional about the “Greatest gift of all” you describe so eloquently. I too grew up in a home without the extras. We used to get a little gift for our birthday, sometimes. In 1946 my grandmother died just a few days before my birthday and my mother and dad forgot my birthday altogether until about a week later. Our generation was happy with little things. The great amounts of large gifts given to children now really bothers me. There is a Dutch saying, roughly translated. “He who does not appreciate the little things is not worth the big ones.” (Wie het kleine niet eert, is het grote niet weerd)
    Thank you for writing.


    Dear Ruth,
    What a lovely story and such a beautiful memory, thank you for sharing. A reminder of the greatest gift that we will ever receive is very important because we should never take it for granted. It is important in our spiritual life to always remember that his blood covered our sins and that we have been saved. Thank you for sharing your story to remind us of our own story and that we can share Jesus’ story to help others believe.
    I remember when I received a fancy watch from my father at Christmas. Our mother usually bought our gifts because my dad worked on the railway and would be gone for a few days at a time. I remember her telling me that dad had bought it himself. I no longer have it, but the memory is still there. Tomorrow is the anniversary of his death several years ago. Interesting that your story came so close to that day.
    May you continue to share with all of us. Blessings.


    We had 3 birthdays in Jan and usually had a meat pie shared 3 ways with 3 candles on it!
    My mother had a struggle to get it too
    Some gifts are never forgotten,
    That one was of love.
    Thanks for the spiritual application.

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