©Joy Dunlap https://joydunlap.com
The pain jabbing in my leg muscle and hip kept waking me up at night. When I walked, the pain radiated. Trying not to limp proved difficult in my own strength, despite my best efforts to try to focus one foot in front of the other.
I decided to take the advice of my former physical therapist and a recent cruise masseuse and get a massage. The pain kept pushing me in that direction.
Then I remembered a gift card my husband had given me pre-COVID for a massage at a local salon. He’d given me that gift at least four years ago and probably five, but I’d never used it. A year or two went by without my using it, and then the pandemic struck.
And, now I really needed a massage.
I knew how to find the gift card but doubted it would be good anymore.
Doubted it would still be valid.
Doubted it would be accepted.
Doubted it would cover me.
After all, that gift had been tucked away underappreciated and unused.
Even though it had been paid for, I thought it might not be accepted.
Because of what I hadn’t done.
Because I hadn’t embraced the gift – the opportunity – earlier.
Because so much time had passed.
But I was hopeful. So, I reached out.
Surprisingly, the representative said I was welcome. The gift was still mine to access. The service had been paid.
And, that gift massage turned out to be wonderful – at no cost to me! I wished I’d used it sooner!
Pain caused me to remember it, to take advantage of it. As a result, I experienced not only help for my problem, but also renewed delight in the gift and the love of the one who gave it.
Even if it’s been a while since we’ve fully enjoyed the gift of forgiveness, peace and mercy God gave us…
Even if it’s been a while since we’ve truly considered the value of His gift and the love behind it…
And, even if it’s been a while since we said “Thank You” or had a real conversation with the greatest gift-giver of all…
The gift He gave still has our name on it.
It’s still valid. The cost has been paid by Jesus.
When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:13-14
- Have you received a gift card you didn’t use?
- What gift has someone given you that you didn’t actively use for a while?
- When you’ve rediscovered a precious or useful gift, how did it make you feel?
- When you consider the gifts God has given you, which ones stand out the most in your life?
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Galatians 5:22-24
Remember…
Life is Better When It’s Full – Joy-full, Thank-full, Purpose-full and Friend-full! ™
*Scripture references are from New International Version (NIV)