The Gift...

A friend once gave me a gift.

He had just returned from some country and enthusiastically gave me (in my opinion) a bland looking tiny bronze jewelry box, which I excitedly received, and opened only to find it empty... I was disappointed but acted all cool, like I truly understood the value of the gift, with my smile as empty as the box in my hand. (I should narrate the myth of the joy of receiving flowers)

It was supposedly a valuable antique object, but it made no sense to me. It would have been of more value to me if it had earrings or jewelry of some sort inside. I preferred something I could understand, or even a ‘last minute thought’ perfume from duty free that would have cost way less than the tiny box.
That’s the price you pay for eccentric friends.
If we take away my lack of understanding, I’d say that gift was thoughtful.

You should have seen how excited my fake excitement was even as I didn’t understand its worth. That little box is lost somewhere in my possession that somehow hasn’t reunited with me since I moved from Lagos.

I realize a lot of Christians are like I was that day. Excited over this gift we’ve been given, but not understanding it, so faking the joy and falling victims of scammers who make false declaration in the name of Jesus.
We’ve received it and opened it, but experienced thorns and a bunch of circumcisions, i.e lots of trials and very few rainbow moments.
Thus, It’s soon lost in a pile of other discarded items... we feel it’s all scam... it doesn’t work.

You wouldn’t enjoy a gift if you don’t understand it’s value.
We’re not enjoying salvation because the value is lost on us, thus we don’t have the patience to see our faith produce the results of redemption, forgiveness of sins and righteousness.

All your sins are forgiven!
The Holy Spirit lives within you.
You have access...
You have victory.
You’ve been made righteous.
These are some powerful, invaluable gifts in that box of salvation.

The container itself is the most valuable possession in the world, antique as it looks.
And the content is made manifest as you reach out and take by faith. How? By believing the words of redemption and speaking them out even when it looks empty. How do I know God is madly irrevocably in love with me? His word says it and so I believe and have faith that he does even in situations that seem like my Christian jewelry box is empty.
Life is given to you, but it is not willingly handed over to you by the 'gods' of this world... you fight the good fight of faith to obtain the promises. You take it by force or it will look like an empty box to you. 


Though we experience every kind of pressure, we’re not crushed. At times we don’t know what to do, but quitting is not an option. We are persecuted by others, but God has not forsaken us. We may be knocked down, but not out.  We continually share in the death of Jesus in our own bodies so that the resurrection life of Jesus will be revealed through our humanity.
2 Corinthians 4:8-10 (TPT)


The box is not empty!!!!

Comments

  1. I read this article, it is really informative one. Your way of writing and making things clear is very impressive. Thanking you for such an informative article.Religious Calendar 2022

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts