No Strings Attached

While digging through papers on my desk, I found a hand-written paper.  It was obviously written on Christmas Day several years ago.  I likely tucked it away to add to this blog, but it never made it past the pile of "things to be done... SOMEDAY."  Although I wrote it on Christmas Day, I share it today- mid-June.  The sentiments are timeless and for all seasons...

Today (Christmas Day), if you haven't done so already, most of you will gather, as I will, around a Christmas Tree to give and receive a multitude of packages.  We will be carefully watching to catch the look on our loved ones faces as they open their gifts, hoping that the one we chose for them will be as "perfect" in their eyes as it was in ours when we chose it.  We may plaster smiles on our own faces to hide disappointment or our eyes may fill with tears as we open those handcrafted presents from our children and grandchildren-- hearts full of love.

Today, we will be given gifts.  How we use them-- what we do with them is up to us.  Today, we will give gifts.  How they are received and what is done with them is out of our control.  Gifts, if they are really gifts, are not given with strings attached.

This can be hard for us to accept!  Many of us may smile to remember the countless toys our toddlers ignored in favor of the boxes they came in!  Even our teens can be heartless without meaning to hurt our feelings.  Several years back, I searched in every store I could think of for the perfect mp3 player for our son-- I was so excited to finally find it at a home improvement store about an hour from our house.

It didn't work.  I returned it- driving the hour each way and haggling with the clerks.  The second one did not work either.  This time, I asked for a refund.  I searched online for a better player, and spent more than I really wanted to, but at this point, I knew that I wanted a name-brand.  It arrived.  It worked.  All was well with the world... until...

He attended a school event and won an i-pod.  From that point on, the gift from me was put aside in favor of this new one.

Every instinct in me screamed: "FINE!  Give it back, then!!"  But a small voice inside said: "But it was a GIFT."

God has given the world a gift-- the ultimate gift.  Salvation is ours through Jesus Christ-- a free gift to ALL.  There are no strings attached except this:  we must believe and accept it.  When we try other ways... other "gifts" besides this wonderful gift, God does not "take it back".  God's grace, love, mercy, and everlasting life are gifts for all the world and are free for the taking any time we make the choice to receive!  They are gifts.  What we do with them is up to us.