A Gift

This is the time of year that a lot of us are buying gifts and wrapping them with great expectation of the recipient being thrilled with the present. Have you ever given a gift that was never opened?

I had given a gift that I thought would be well received and the recipient so happy to get it. I waited to hear her joyous news that the gift was the perfect thing that she had been waiting for. I waited, and waited, and waited. But she never opened the gift. She still has the opportunity to open it but, has chosen not to. I was so sad that this well thought out gift is still sitting in her home perhaps tucked away in a closet somewhere. Had I done something or said something to make her not want to open a gift from me? Did she not need a gift that was free? Did she not care about getting a gift? Has she held onto it so long that she has forgotten?

I haven't forgotten! I wait each day to see or hear from her that she has found the gift and opened it and is enjoying it.

I have just gone shopping for another gift to give to another loved one. It was such great fun to pick out the perfect small gifts and to take them home and put them together just so. The anticipation of seeing the delight on the faces of those to receive them was exciting. I informed the loved one that all she had to do was come to my place and I had a bag of goodies waiting. She informed me that she would be there.

Guess what she didn't come. I was disappointed but did not give up. I saw her the very next day and reminded her of the presents and she told me she had forgot but could she come now? YES! She was so grateful for the presents and told me they were just perfect. She excitedly took them with her. She called the next day to tell me again how perfect they were.

You know what? God has given us a FREE gift. A gift that has been thought out and is absolutely perfect for you and for me! He loving selected and gave His Only Son for you and me. Do we do like the first person in the story just set Him aside and never accept Him? Or do we do what the second person did, even though the gift was forgotten for a little while it WAS opened and loved.

This is the season for gift giving and God has the ultimate gift waiting for you! Won't  you "open" it?

John 3:16

 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.