please open the package, the gift is inside

                                 

 

                                                                     

if i was given a gift that was beautifully packaged with ribbons and bows and wrapped so perfectly that i was in awe at how the one who gave it to me could have done such a precise work of perfection,  if i just kept staring at it in amazement, put it on a shelf to admire it everyday, and took it down once a year to celebrate how beautiful it was. but, i never opened it up to see what was inside of the perfectly dazzling package, i would never be able to benefit or enjoy the gift within it. i am sure the person who would have given me the gift would be happy that i enjoyed the package the gift arrived in, but sad that i never opened it up to see what was inside, thinking all along, "please open the package, the gift is inside."

sometimes, i feel as if we do this with the packaged gift of Jesus to the world. God has given us the best gift of all. He is beautifully packaged, a precise work of perfection, with the good news of love, peace, mercy, grace, and truth. but, if we just keep staring at the package in amazement, put it on a shelf to admire it everyday and take it down once a year to celebrate how beautiful it is. but, we never open it up to have the pleasure of  fellowship with God that this beautiful Gift contains within it, we have missed all the pleasure the Gift was intended to bring into our lives.

the gift of Jesus is presented in a beautiful package. but, the gift is not the package. He is a Person inside the package. He is not a Person to put on a shelf but one who is longing to share every moment of every day with us saving us from a life of destruction by leading us into Life everlasting through fellowship with Himself. we have to accept the package to get the gift. but, we have to open it to enjoy and benefit from Him, welcoming His presence into our lives.

i opened my packaged Gift from God many years ago and everyday of my life has been filled with the pleasure of the sweet fellowship that He has brought into my life. i can not imagine my life today if i had only shelved that beautiful package given to me and not listened to the voice of the One who was saying to me, "please open the package, the Gift is inside."