"The Giver, not the Gift"
- Rita Larson
- May 10, 2023
- 3 min read
We often focus on the promises of God, seeking Him for what He can do and not for who He is. We often forget that the Promiser is more important than the promise. When the Lord delivered the Israelites out of Egypt, He wasn’t just bringing them to the Promise Land but was delivering them to the Promiser. God’s people were miraculously delivered from slavery and oppression and were given a way to freedom. The magnitude of the power of God was on full display as He parted the Red Sea, sent plagues, and delivered people from bondage, keeping His promises. While the promises of God are important, the Promiser should be the focus. It is about the Giver, not the Gift!
The Bible tells us in Exodus 3:7-10 (KJV): “And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.”
He heard the cries of the Israelites, and He delivered them out of their affliction. So we see that God is not only delivering the Israelites out of Egypt but also bringing them to a land of promise, one which flows with milk and honey. He is also promising them a future. God is a God of redemption and faithful to His promises. However, we need to put first things first! Before the promise, we need to seek God. Without God, there would be no promises to seek. He is the SOURCE of all the goodness life has to offer, and He should be sought after for who He is, not what He can do.
If God were to have used Moses to bring the Israelites out of Egypt and straight to the promise land without first bringing them to the Promiser, the promise land would have become the focus. Instead of seeking God, they would seek His promises first. Remember, it is all about the Giver, not the Gift, the Promiser, not the Promise. His promises are simply a bonus. Psalm 27:4 (KJV), “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in His temple.” The beauty of God is found in His character. He is "The Great I Am," and His love endures forever. Therefore, we should focus on drawing near God and seeking Him wholeheartedly.
The Bible tells us in Isaiah 55:8-9 (KJV): “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” In other words, God is infinitely wise and powerful, and His ways and thoughts are far above ours. Therefore, when we come to Him, we should come with the intention of seeking Him for who He is. We should seek His wisdom and guidance, not simply the promises He can give us.
The Bible tells us in Psalm 63:1 (KJV): “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.” This verse is a beautiful reminder that we should seek God with a passionate longing, thirsting for Him and His righteousness. When we do this, our hearts will be focused on the Lord and not on the promises He can give us. We can find joy and contentment in seeking the Lord and being in His presence.
We can use the example of the Israelites to remind ourselves that God is the Promiser. We should seek Him first and trust in His promises, knowing that they will always be fulfilled, remembering it is all about the Giver, not the Gift.
©Rita Larson 5/10/2023
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