Who Do You Think You Are, God’s Gift?

Who Do You Think You Are, God’s Gift to the World?
Funny, because that’s exactly what you are. God gives each one of us exactly what we need to grow and learn and advance toward eternal salvation.
Every morning I wake up and praise Him for the day. I ask, “what can I do for you today, Lord?” Not that He needs me to do anything. I just love Him so much, I want to do something, to say thanks. I’m immensely grateful for His love and His presence in my life. In this relationship, He brings me peace, hope, love and great joy, filled to the brim and bubbling over.
In return, I offer gratitude, love and obedience. Not all the time, but as often as I remember. Lately, I think I’m getting better at remembering He is there and I am His. I used to turn away from Him; for years and years I did turn away, thinking “I’m not worthy of Your attention.” I didn’t realize that meant I was giving into despair. I didn’t know all I had to do was ask for His help. I didn’t think He would want to know me.
With incredible patience and persistence, He kept reaching for me, gently calling “here I am.” Years, no, decades later, I walked into an empty church and sat down. In the silence, I heard His voice, and recognized Him. Since that moment, nothing has been the same. A relationship began that day, one that has only grown stronger over the years. Every day, He teaches me something new.
Even when I’m slogging through that Valley of the Shadow of Death, confronted by fears, hurtful memories, temptations to fall into despair, He points out the way my feet can follow (look out, quicksand coming up on the right), to make it through the darkness and up onto the heights, where His love surrounds me with healing rays.
When I try to strike out on my own, that’s when I stumble on sharp rocks or get scratched by long, treacherous thorns, or find myself hopelessly lost and heading in the wrong direction. It is only when I look up, swallow my useless pride and ask for help, that He gently offers His hand.
“Come, this way,” and He carries me over the rough parts until I can set my feet on a free and open space.
If we manage to see ourselves as travelers on thejourney to Heaven, we come to see others following that path. It’s steep, narrow and uncomfortable; it wanders all over the map. Most travelers turn back, preferring the broad, well-paved road that seems familiar and safe. That road is bustling with travelers, easy to navigate, well-lit, with clear, enticing signs offering rest and refreshment and mindless entertainment to keep us on the subtle downward slope.
The narrow path is filled with difficulties and confusion. The map is often blurred by tears of frustration, and wrinkled from the many times we’ve wadded it up in despair and thrown it aside. Sometimes we retrace our steps, repentant, to pick up the map once more. Or, a fellow traveler will pick it up and offer it to us, pointing out a detour that gets us back on track.
And that’s where you come in. Each person we meet, regardless of the path they take, is a fellow traveler and a gift from God. What a relief, to find someone who speaks the same language, of hope!
“Oh, yes,” they’ll say, “I wandered down that easy road for years, not really thinking about where I was going. You don’t need a map to guide you down that road, you know. All you have to do is follow the crowd. But I don’t know, after a while, something didn’t feel right. The road is incredibly noisy; people are talking and arguing, and there’s music playing constantly. You can’t even hear yourself think. Once I wandered off the main highway, it was quiet. In the silence, I heard that small, still voice calling me here.So I turned back.”
“You heard that too? So did I.”
“That’s right.” the stranger grinned at me, a comforting smile. I wasn’t alone. I had a friend.
A companion on the journey is a great gift.
Others will mock us, and laugh at our efforts to climb back on the rocky, narrow path, but their laughter is an opportunity to overcome doubt and fear by rising above it. We begin to recognize other problems as teaching moments, a chance to learn patience, persistence, faithfulness, generosity, lessons that make our journey easier and our burdens light as thistledown. As we painfully make our way over rocks and thorns, the laughter fades away, replaced by a peaceful silence. We begin to see more clearly, and the heights no longer frighten us. Our legs grow stronger and we can breathe more easily. We congratulate ourselves on “getting in shape,” until we notice angels pressing in, close and good, supporting each step.
We turn to our friend and offer a helping hand. In his grateful smile, we see the Lord and feel the shock of joy, saying “it was You, wasn’t it, all the time?”
He nods, drawing us close, and Love surrounds us.