LightGrams
October 30, 2025
Volume 29, Number 34
“A Gift For Who?”
It was the couple’s second anniversary, and they planned a nice dinner at home to celebrate. At dinner, the 31-year-old wife (not named in the Fox News story) gave her husband his gift, a smart watch he had wanted. Then it was his turn to give his gift to her.
The husband handed her a gift card to a local video game store. He told her, “We can both use it, since you’re always watching me play.” No, she’s not into video games, but he certainly is. And it was not a gift that pleased. She abruptly got up from dinner and went to her sister’s house where she spent the night.
According to the story, she posted this on social media: “”On our anniversary, my ‘gift’ was literally something for him.” Most who replied to her post agreed with her disappointment. Yes, the husband presented her with a gift, but a gift for who?
In Isaiah 58 God spoke about some in Israel who wondered why He was not blessing them. “’Why have we fasted’, they say, ‘and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’” (Isaiah 58:3). Fasting, as you likely know, can be an uncomfortable experience in which we voluntarily refuse to eat for a period of time. When done properly it shows God that we recognize the fact that man does not live by bread alone, “but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). It’s often seen as a mark of spiritual maturity.
God’s response to Israel must have taken them by surprise: “Is it a fast that I have chosen, a day for a man to afflict his soul? … Would you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord?” (Isaiah 58:5). In His rebuke God noted that, “In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and exploit all your laborers” (Isaiah 58:3).
Israel claimed to be presenting God with a gift, a day on which they abstained from food and devoted themselves to His will. But God made it clear what He was really looking for: “Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh?” (Isaiah 58:7). No, their “gifts” to God didn’t please Him. And they weren’t fooling God with their sham fasts.
What gifts do we bring to the Lord? Our worship? Our offerings? Our prayers and service? All of these fall into the category of religious acts, but here’s the question we must contemplate, stated by Jesus Himself: “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46; see also Matthew 7:21-23). If we are sincere in our desire to offer pleasing gifts to the Lord, we must first ask, “What has He asked me to give Him?” Otherwise, our attempts to please Him may be in vain.
Come to the light God offers! Study His word, the Bible. Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.
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Copyright, 2025, Timothy D. Hall. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New King James Version (Copyright, 1990, Thomas Nelson, Inc.).
“LightGrams” is produced by the Central Church of Christ, 2722 Oakland Avenue, Johnson City, Tennessee, 37601, and is written by Tim Hall, minister. It is sent free of charge every Thursday to all who request it. To subscribe or to receive more information, write to “Tim@GraceMine.org” (our E-mail address), to the U.S. mail address above, or call (423) 282-1571.
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