No Greater Gift

Are we a people that truly believes there is no greater gift than to simply know Jesus? Even in knowing Jesus, there can be those hopes for the good gifts He gives: provision, a wonderful marriage, children, even things such as a unified church (body of believers) to be a part of, wholesome discipleship, successful ministry, freedom from hurts, addiction, bondage, etc.

While these are okay to desire, even good to desire, do our desires for the good He gives outweigh our desire for Jesus Himself? In Psalm 37:4, we see God will give us the desires of our hearts, but only when we are delighting ourselves in Him.

In Isaiah 56, the Lord gives a glimpse into the gift of knowing and seeking after Him.

“This is what the Lord says: Preserve justice and do what is right, for My salvation is coming soon, and My righteousness will be revealed.² Happy is the man who does this, anyone who maintains this, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.³ No foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord should say, “The Lord will exclude me from His people”; and the eunuch should not say, “Look, I am a dried-up tree.” ⁴ For the Lord says this: “For the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, and choose what pleases Me, and hold firmly to My covenant, ⁵ I will give them, in My house and within My walls, a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters. I will give each of them an everlasting name that will never be cut off. ⁶ And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord minister to Him, love the name of Yahweh and become His servants, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold firmly to My covenant—⁷ I will bring them to My holy mountain and let them rejoice in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar, for My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” ⁸ This is the declaration of the Lord God, who gathers the dispersed of Israel: “I will gather to them still others besides those already gathered.”

God’s desire was for all nations and peoples to know Him. His invitation was for not only His people, but for the strangers and for the shamed. Declaring to a eunuch, someone physically unable to bear children, that he has the promise that the salvation of the Lord is worth more than any son or daughter. To the foreigners who seek Him and keep His commands, they will be found acceptable to Him, and they’ll be able to rejoice in Him. Isn’t that beautiful?

The beauty of His promise is His salvation, being in His presence, and knowing Him. What is the greatest command? To love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Luke 10:27). There is no greater gift than Jesus Himself. We must believe that truth. And we must declare that truth to a hungry, hurting, and lost world.

This article is submitted by Brooke Stewart of International Commission. International Commission is a Missio Nexus member.  Member organizations can provide content to the Missio Nexus website. See how by clicking here.