One of the songs from the musical "Sound of Music" is "My Favorite Things." It speaks of bright-colored packages all wrapped up with string… As the celebration of Christmas draws nigh, many will go to bed dreaming of the bright-colored packages awaiting them under the Christmas tree.
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened." (Matthew 7:7-8, NKJV).
One of the teachers on Christian radio shared the following story. I apologize because I am not able to recall from whom I heard it. As well as I can recollect, …
The speaker dreamed that he had died and gone to Heaven. As God welcomed him and began to show him the many dwelling places there, they walked by a room which they were not going to enter. The newcomer to Heaven paused and stepped across its threshold. To his amazement, the room was filled to the ceiling with bright-colored packages-all bearing his name.
Puzzled, he turned toward God. In answer to his unspoken question, God explained that they were things He had had in store to give to the man while he was down on earth. He ended by saying, "But you never asked," and moved on. "…Yet you do not have because you do not ask." (James 4:2c, NKJV)
Thought-provoking, isn't it? Or maybe we have not received because we did not ask correctly. "You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures." (James 4:3, NKJV).
### -- Roberta J. Kittrell - 10/22/2004 11/09/2004 Rewrite copyright 2004
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What a great visual that makes for me, Roberta. Thanks for sharing this piece and reminding all of us of God's great desire to bless each of His children. We do indeed serve an awesome God - if only we would talk with Him often and ask for His help in things that matter - what a different life we would surely have. No unclaimed grace or colorfully-wrapped gifts! Yours in Christ, Karen
Oh, oh, oh, that we all could say "I believe it, I claim it, I receive it" and tell our flesh to take a hike. What blessings in grace lie waiting for us to ask... to be spent glorifying the Giver of Gifts!! So thought provoking!! Glad I didn't miss it. Now... if I can keep from missing the packages! Praise God!
