God Has A Gift For You

“They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the Baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this Child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” (Luke 2:16-19)

Mary treasured many things in her heart concerning her Son. She was blessed and honored above all other women. At the time of his birth Mary had the best baby shower than any woman could hope for. She was brought gold and costly perfumes and spices. Her child was adored by strangers and those she never knew prophesied about him. Mary knew that it was her child the prophets spoke of long ago. This same child that she watched playing outside from her doorway. This same child that looked over at her with a smile on his face and love in his eyes. She had nursed him, clothed him, played with him, soothed his tears, bathed him, made him laugh, kissed his cuts and bruises, combed his hair, dressed him, corrected and loved him. Jesus meant everything to her. She celebrated 33 birthdays with him until the day came when she had to witness his death and that sword that was prophesied to her, pierced her heart. But God had a gift for her. He gave Mary her Son back and since then, she has celebrated over 2000 birthdays with Jesus. They have gone on countless walks and I’m sure they have talked about the silly things He did as a child and reminisced concerning all those things she had treasured in her heart.

This Christmas, whatever you are struggling with, whatever your heartache, whatever your loss, do not give up, because God has a gift for you. If you have been the tail and not the head, God has a gift for you. If you have felt worthless and out-of-place wondering why God has allowed you to come this far, it’s because He has a gift for you. If you have lost a loved one and there is a void in your heart and in your home, God has a gift for you.

Today, as I celebrate my birthday, I know that heartaches will come, trials will test me and persecutions may sometimes seek me out, but nothing in this world can take away what God has promised and ordained for my life. He promised to give back to me what I had lost.

© Copyright Cheryl Taul
December 23, 2007

"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields- and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first." (Mark 10:29-31)