“God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die.” (John 3:16 Contemporary English Version)
Like many of you, the Internet is “the new mall.” We can shop, and sometimes we do so far too often, at any time and from anywhere, and we can find almost anything. Recently, while shopping, I found a men’s necklace that was not all glitz and gold. It was made of inexpensive black beads and brown tiger eye beads. The necklace came in a nice, colorful, compact box. The box contained a small drawstring cloth bag in which the necklace was packed. Underneath it was a rose-colored stone.
A small, printed card under the stone said, “Please kindly accepts this Rose Quartz stone as a gift. Hoping this will accompany you in your “path” to become the best version of yourself. Rose Quartz is known as the crystal of unconditional love. It boosts feelings of self-love and fosters loving relationships with other. It also encourages self-forgiveness and acceptance invoking self-trust and self-worth.” The Rose Quartz was the “A Gift” referred to in the title above.
The ”A Gift” was nice and surprising. However, it cannot top “The Gift” from God described in the opening verse. You can’t top Jesus. He will show you “the path” to become the best version of yourself, not for self, but for the Sovereign God we serve, “The Gift” is Jesus and He embodies unconditional love. He boosts our feeling of self-love, but He does so without supplanting our love for the Lord our God. He fosters loving relationships with others. Remember Him saying that we should love one another? “The Gift,” Jesus, encourages forgiveness, but not just self-forgiveness after we repent from our sins, but forgiveness of other as an obligation. Jesus goes beyond self-trust and shows us how to trust in the Lord. He is the One that helps us find-self-worth in His worthiness. “The Gift” beats out “A Gift” every time.
I hope you will submit to the presence of “The Gift,” let Him accompany you at all times. He will do that, according to His word. If you have accepted “The Gift,” praise the Lord! If you know someone, anyone, who needs to kindly accept “The Gift” free of charge, forward this meditation to them today, before or after you leave church. Don’t hesitate! Be blessed!
“I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b NKJV)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King