Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Heaven's Wardrobe Hutch



God spoke… ‘This is how you are to bless people…Say to them, GOD bless you and keep you, GOD smile on you and gift you, GOD look you full in the face and make you prosper.’” Paraphrase by Eugene Peterson based on Numbers 6:22-26.

Like many of you throughout the year, I pick up things for my children for the upcoming Christmas. They are well-aware I keep them in the wardrobe hutch. It is no longer necessary to hide the gifts because our adult children now reside at their own homes. As I shop I see things that look just like something they would love to own. As I consider things at the store I can picture them using it and enjoying the gift. Sometimes I notice that as I am considering a purchase for my children a smile spreads across my face. I can see through my heart’s eye the joy on their face when I share the gift with them. It brings me so much happiness to watch them open it and get excited to receive it. Part of the joy for me is being present with them when they open the gifts. Part of the joy for them is sharing their excitement with us once they discover its contents. Even as adults, they still shake the box trying to guess what is in the package. I love that I can look them ‘full in the face and make them prosper.’ The joy for me is the fellowship…that is the gift.

God is no different as He relates to us as our Father. He knows all the good things that He is choosing for us. Things to experience with Him...gifts to discover because of Him…future blessings that will be unwrapped through Him. He sometimes wraps up our blessings in plain paper, while other times we discover gifts in beautiful wrapping. He knows just when certain gifts are ready to give. I can just hear the whispers of heaven as He tells the angels to watch us open our beautiful presents. We are aware when a gift comes directly from the Giver…a prayer answered…a need met…a nudging of guidance. Those are the times when God’s presence is obvious, and His blessings are experienced. He has an abundance of gifts in His wardrobe hutch, just waiting for the exact time to prosper us. He fully understands the joy of the fellowship between Himself and His children. There are no presents as precious as His presence, and that is a gift that will never wear out.  May God look you full in the face, smile at you and hand you His blessings this season and every season.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights" James 1:17


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