The giving of gifts is about to be on most everyone’s mind. Would they like this? Should I give them that? The gift just has to be right. Millions of dollars are about to be spent all so someone can have a gift.

As you are giving to others, stop and think about what you are giving God. Paul wrote about a people who "gave" to God: "And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God" (1 Cor. 8:5). These are the words the apostle Paul wrote about the Christians in Macedonia. They did not have much to give, but they did.

This should be a person’s feeling and desire towards God. This attitude does not come over night. It comes by developing faith – it is a growing process that takes place gradually. When one obeys the gospel, this is faith in the beginning stage.

Peter wrote by inspiration. "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." (II Peter 1:5-ff).

By this a growing process is seen. Focus and goals will have a higher target than the things of this present world if one is seeking to give themselves to God. One will be focused on "things above and not things upon the earth" (Col. 1:2). This is difficult for some, but when one thinks of what God has given it should become easy.

Giving oneself to God is the idea shown in Paul’s letter to the Romans. He was one who had given himself to God. As he was writing to the Romans he implored them to develop this attitude in their own lives.

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Romans 12:1,2).

As a Christian he suffered many things (II Cor. 11:24-28). How could anyone go through all of this? It was because Paul belonged to God. He lived his life for God, not for Paul. He was willing to give everything for the cause of Christ.

A person seeking to give themselves to God, will find ways to serve him. They will desire to be present when the saints gather to worship God – in fact, they will long for that time. They will learn to put God first in all that they do.

The "Christian graces" will be seen developing and thriving in their lives. Homes will be happier, lives richer, and one day heaven will be their home for all eternity.

All need to give themselves to God.