The Gift

     If  you put together something special as a gift for a loved one and they didn't appreciate it, or were ungrateful, or simply tried to give it back how would you feel? How much would it hurt to have this thing you crafted out of love be rejected? Something you meant to bring this person joy? Something you hoped they would share with others?
     I bet you would be deeply hurt, I know I would be, and I believe that's how God feels when we reject His son. Jesus's death on the cross was a gift. His blood shed was the gift of salvation, and whether we deserve it or not, whether we appreciate it or not, it's there for us, waiting to be accepted and rejoiced over. This is an open gift to all the world, we all have a chance to know, hear and accept Him. But we also all have the free will to choose.
      I am not writing a lot today, and it's because as we go into the holy days of remembrance for the crucifixion and resurrection I think it is more important to remind ourselves how precious this gift is than to focus on anything else. So I will not be writing anymore today or for the rest of the week, and I will only be sharing a passages from the Bible and old post. I pray for you all as we approach resurrection day. I ask for blessings and mercy on us all, and that we may remember and appreciate the gift given to us, that we make an attempt each day to share it, and show gratitude for it. Be blessed in Jesus holy name, amen.

 John 10:7-18

7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”