Introduction
What packages were delivered to you this past holiday season? Weren’t they pretty packages with bows and wrapping paper in red and green? What was inside? Something you liked? Or, “Oh no, they gave me something I don’t need or wanted. By the way, why do they do this to me every Christmas? ”
God showed me that difficulties and problems that are presented to us each and everyday can be like that. Of course, we may not tell the ones we love. After all, we don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings… And it’s the thought that counts, isn’t it?
So we smile and thank them and go on. Or you may do like our son did with the gift we gave him (a mustache trimmer). He wrapped it up for the next Christmas and gave it to my husband. The following Christmas my husband gave it back to him. Of course, they always gave each other something else but there was always the “Mustache Trimmer” among the gifts.
When we walk with the Lord, packages are presented to use everyday. Some are blessing from God. But, there are others that the devil would like us to think are from God but they are not. Did you ever notice that you may find yourself arguing about the same old thing but it started out different? or maybe that a situation seems to keep coming up over and over again? The situation may not come up for a long time but there it is again only packaged differently.
This is what God showed me. He said look closely into this situation or gift and see with your spiritual eyes. Is this situation really from Him? If not, take a hold of it and get it settled and you will not easily be tricked again. So if you are facing a situation that does not bring the peace of God to you, look closely into the package… beyond the ribbons and box and see inside the matter with the eyes of God and the leading of His Holy Spirit.
Are you in affliction? Psalms 34:19 “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.”
Do you need strength? Psalm 29:11 “The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.” Psalm 28:8 “The Lord is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.”
Do you feel like you’re just about going to faint from the strain of life? Psalm 27:13 & 14 “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart; wait I say, on the Lord.”
Are you feeling poor and needy? Psalm 72:12 “For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no help.” Psalm 72:13 “He shall spare (have compassion) the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.”
Psalm 62:5 “My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.”
Psalm 62:8 “Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
A word from the Lord, just for you
In the mist of your confusion, I am there
To wash away you’re every care.
When trouble seems to surround you
Know my friend that “I AM” is around you.
For trouble may come from every side
Yet, in my love you shall abide.
And every care that seems too hard for you
My grace and love will see you through.
Until Next Time
Rev. Marilyn Marinelli