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Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

In today’s Bible reading, the apostle James says something remarkable. He says that God does not change. He is not like a shifting shadow—like the shadow of a windowpane moving slowly across the living room floor until it disappears as the sun goes down. In particular, with respect to giving his people good gifts, God does not change. He is like the sun when viewed from outer space. He keeps shining. He never sets. His generosity does not change. He still selects carefully just the right gifts and just the right number of gifts to give his people.

God’s greatest gift to us is the gift of spiritual life—a gift that the apostle James says God gave us through the word of truth. Through the words of the Bible, God points us to Jesus and convinces us that he is the Son of God, who became a human being to save us from our sin. He leads us to believe that someday we will live with him in heaven. When we reflect on God’s gracious gifts to us, especially the gift of spiritual life through Jesus, we are motivated to show generosity, consideration, kindness, forgiveness, patience, and caring for other people.

May it give you the motivation and strength to be as generous to others as he has been to you. God, who does not change, will answer your prayer.

Thank you, Lord, that you do not change. I know I can count on your blessings in the future just as in the past. Grant that your generosity to me makes me generous to those you bring into my life this day. Amen.

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.