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What's more important to you---a gift or the one who gives it?
Recently I visited Hilton Head Island, off the coast of South Carolina, USA. Every day the sky was blue, the sun golden, and the ocean beautiful shades of green. Herons and egrets guarded the marshes while ospreys and pelicans patrolled overhead. A wonderful time to observe and reflect.
One day as God and I looked out across the waves, a porpoise gently broke the surface. The smooth, dark body shimmered in the sunlight before gracefully rolling into the sea. Another appeared, and both moved parallel with the shore. I enjoy watching porpoises. It's like God saying, "This is for you."
I wasn't the only one who noticed. Women pointed toward the water and called their children. Men stopped talking and looked to the sea. Teenagers ran to the water's edge. A crowd quickly formed and watched with great delight. Though some distance away, I could hear their laughter, oohs, and ahs.
As the porpoises swam away, the crowd disbursed and in a remarkably short time, all appeared exactly as before, as though the amazing creatures had never come. I wondered, "Did anyone thank the Giver for the gift of this wonderful experience?"
We have many celebrations---birthdays, graduations, weddings, retirements, special announcements of such events, religious celebrations, national holidays, and local observations. For many we expect a gift, and not just any gift, but that special one we wantand at times demand.
In our expecting, wanting, and demanding, we focus on the gift. "Is it the right size, color, make, model, newest, and best?" The object of our desire steals our attention. And the true gift---the love and sacrifice of the Giver---is never received.
Jesus once asked a woman for a drink of water. She did not give it, but instead questioned how He could ask, since she was a Samaritan. Jesus replied, If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, "Give Me a drink," you would be asking Him, and He would give you living water.(John 4:10)
Do you see the emphasis here? Without knowing the Giver, we cannot understand the gift. If we do not understand the gift, we cannot claim to have received it.
Jesus was speaking of eternal life, a gift He offers. Can we understand the love and sacrifice of that gift without knowing who He is? Have we accepted His gift if we have no regard for who He is? Can we claim to own that gift if we continue to live as though we've never heard of Him?
I think back to the island. As the porpoises swam out of sight, more appeared in the waves---six this time---rolling in the ocean, following the first two. But no one noticed. They had looked away and returned to their distractions. Did they not know who was sharing His creation with them?
God offers the gift of eternal life. He wants us to experience it fully with Him. When we do, our eyes open and we receive the wonderful gifts of His love, mercy, grace, and wisdom.
Change your focus. Keep your eyes on God the Giver. And receive the gift of His presence in your life---the gift that keeps on giving. | 
