I sit gazing at the beautiful boxes sitting in front of me admiring the painstaking time it must have taken to not only wrap the gifts, but the time and care taken in choosing the gorgeous wrapping. Too pretty to tear apart...imagine what must be hiding inside, I think!
Whatever it is, I surely am not worthy of such beautiful gifts...they can't possibly be for me. I walk away, slowly, dreaming and wondering, looking back over my shoulder, just one more peek. Giddy inside at the thought that they are truly meant for me, even if I can't open them, I know, because my name is clearly written on the tag.
It's okay, I will enjoy just admiring them for what they are, beautiful wrappings.
God has been showing me this week that this, these wrapped up boxes, beautiful though they are, is how I look at life, and how I live it. I live in a box of my own making.
The two biggest boxes are the "me" Box and my God Box.
The "me" box, which I carefully wrapped up all by myself is filled with all the trappings of the enemy's greatest tools; fear, doubt, shame, bitterness; some pretty ugly junk from the trunk of life. The beautiful of the "me" box has made it's way down through all the wadded up tissue and sits hidden in the dark corners. It's probably better if this one stays wrapped. That way they can only see the pretty paper and bow.
My God box...the most beautiful and mysterious of all. Breathtaking. Untouchable. That's what I have told myself. You can look, and desire it more than your next breath. You can claim it, and hold His promises right in the palms of your hands, read it even...but receive it? Open it?
I have opened, have received! Have been covered and held! Praise God! But always, always, I find myself looking inward and seeing ugly, I won't allow myself to hold it for too long. Better to give it back than to have it taken from me.
So my gifts continue to pile high to the ceiling, begging to be opened so that I can not only receive them; the blessings of His great love for me, but so I can give them away and really live! Live and enjoy life to the full. Open the box that keeps me from all He has for me. Open His box, fully trust and experience Him for Who He truly is and not who I have made him to be.
As I open this Greatest Gift of all, the one I thought I had all figured out, I am finding that He truly does love me right where I am at. I don't have to be good enough or obsess about keeping rule #544 in order to receive His grace or approval. I am His...just as I am. His child. Made to receive His Love. Unconditional.
Trust His Love. Receive His Love and live it! With a Joyful, Thank-filled heart! Tear off the beautiful wrappings, open His gifts and see what blessings He has for you!
