The Best Gift Ever

Her request was simple.

"If you ever have an extra one of those, could I have it?"

She stopped rubbing her thin arms against the cold long enough to point toward the hand-held can opener on the faded wooden table in front of us.



Anna continued..."the church gave me a can of tuna fish and I had no way to open it. I took a big knife and stabbed the can over and over trying to punch a hole in it, but I couldn't."

I winced as I pictured her waging battle against the small metal can with a large, sharp knife and all the ways that could have gone oh so wrong.

"There's one in the box we just put in your room" I said with a smile.

I wasn't prepared for the force with which she flung her arms around my neck squealing "thank you! thank you so much!"

I gave her a hug and then she began jumping up and down clapping her hands together with glee.

"You made my day! It's the best gift ever!!"

While most of us would not get excited over a dollar store can opener, to a lonely and forgotten woman, it was an exceptional gift. 

But the best gift ever?

No.

The best gift ever didn't arrive in a cardboard box in the parking lot of a welfare motel.

It came more than 2000 years ago in the lowly manger stall of a crowded inn.

Luke 2:4-7 "So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available to them.

What a scene.

A woman who was an outcast - unmarried and pregnant. A place most didn't want to go - a smelly, animal-filled stall. 

While most of us would not get excited over a child born in such a place and under such circumstances, to lonely and forgotten men...shepherds...the announcement of His birth was an exceptional gift.

Luke 2:8-12 "And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to the, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.'"

While Anna's gift of a can opener was essential for the need at hand, God's gift of His son, and through that son, eternal life, is an essential gift for every single one of us. It addresses all our needs - past, present and future.

It's the best gift ever.

Best of all, we don't have to hope it will come our way some day. It's been hand-delivered to us, free of charge. We need only to open and accept it. Today. Now. This very moment.

 Like Anna trying to puncture a can of tuna with a knife, have you been using all the wrong tools to experience all the fullness of life? Going to church won't do it. Helping others won't do it. Being a good person won't do it.

The only way to "have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10), is by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

My hope for you is that this year, this Christmas season, you will open the gift that is too large to fit under any tree. It costs nothing, but is priceless. The only requirement is that you open it!

"If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9

He's the best. gift. ever.

The Unexpected Gift

"All I want is a weekend where I can do nothing and not feel guilty about it. Just take in the beautiful fall weather with a walk, or bike ride, or something relaxing. Maybe next weekend...pray I can set that boundary and stick to it. I think my heart needs that."

I recently wrote those words to a friend, not really believing down time would or could happen.

I had just about every waking minute of October scheduled. Much of it was part of a large project at work, but there were also a number of social engagements that I was committed to for one reason or another. 

My prayer request felt like an impossible dream. 

And then, the phone rang. 

It was another friend inviting me to a weekend away at a local retreat center. Although it was a sold out event, one of her party had a family emergency leaving an opening. The retreat weekend was just two days away - could I make it?

I looked at the calendar. I poured over my planner. I went back to the calendar and racked my brain, sure I must be forgetting something.

But there was nothing. The upcoming weekend was absolutely free from Friday evening through Sunday afternoon. The only string of open days the entire month.

It was an answer to prayer and my answer to her was...yes!

I often say that God is in the details. That He cares about every aspect of our lives. So I don't know why I am always amazed when He answers a personal pray like this.

I hadn't been to this particular retreat center in years other than a day visit last summer. It's only a 45 minute drive at best, but I was already feeling relaxed by the time we drove onto the property.

The speaker for the weekend was Damaris Carbaugh. 

Damaris has had a decades long solo singing career as well as being a soloist with the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. I've heard her beautiful, rich voice, but never saw her in person or heard her speak. I had no idea the treat I was in for.

She spent the weekend speaking on one verse - Romans 11:36. "For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen." 

A verse I'm sure I've read often. Or maybe I should say skimmed over, breezed through, or perhaps glanced at, because if you'd have asked me before that weekend if 2 1/2 days of teaching could come from that portion of a doxology, I would have said 'no'.

But in those 2 1/2 days, God reminded me that all good things are from Him alone. And when I suffer hardships, they have been filtered through Him, allowed sometimes for reasons I can't comprehend, but always worked together for my good in the end. And to Him - my praises and my cries - all things should go. 

In the midst of those words of encouragement I was able to relax. There were plenty of options to do things in our down time, but I didn't join in.

Instead I chose to take a walk. Sit by the lake. Warm myself near a bonfire. Nap. Work on my book. 

I wanted to open this unexpected gift and enjoy it fully.

Sunday afternoon came all too quickly, but even upon my return home, I was able to take one last nap.

Monday morning I plunged headlong into a very difficult and emotionally taxing week. 

I knew my unexpected gift was meant to recharge me and prepare me for the road ahead.

And I was grateful. "To Him be the glory. Amen!"

Has God ever answered your prayer or met your need in an unexpected way?  Please share it in the comments!

Time - Gift or Curse?

I'm still working on the second installment of the Free Market 'trilogy', but something I read in my devotions yesterday just really struck a chord and made me think.  I needed to share and ask for your input as well.

The line was out of Jesus Calling for June 27th.  It said "I designed time to be a protection for you."

A protection.  

I don't know about you, but so often, I think of time as the enemy.  

• It ages us
• It reminds us of what we have not yet accomplished
• It flaunts how long we have been without that thing we truly desire 

It most often drags during our workday, making it seem intolerable.  When we're having fun - on vacation, with friends, being entertained - it flies.

So to me, it is foreign to think of time as a protection. 


The next line of that devotional said "You couldn't bear to see your life all at once." 

Okay... maybe I DO see the possibility of protection. 

I have a number of friends going through some really tough stuff right now.  The death of a friend, a separation, a serious illness.

If we saw these things at the outset, we might run in the opposite direction.  And if we did that, we wouldn't experience the joys that come with the sorrows.  We would live life in fear of what we knew was coming.

On the flip side, the space of time protects us by healing some of our hurts as memories fade and pain subsides.  The distance that time provides can help us think more clearly - sometimes seeing that what we thought we wanted or needed would have been harmful had it come to pass. 


God protects us in time.  I think I may just have to change my attitude about my former enemy.  Embrace him and understand his usefulness. 


So what do you think?  Is time a gift?  A protection?  I'd love to hear your thoughts...if you have the time.