THE GIFT TRANSFORMED

Willing Pupil staggered under the weight of an immense, sparkling but fragile Gift. She held it in both hands to keep from dropping it.

"Heavenly Father, I love it! Thank You! But what did I do to deserve this? It looks so costly! I'm afraid my hands of flesh will mar its polished surface and my human breath may cloud its mirrored beauty. It's so large that it almost hides Your face from me." Her arms trembled under its weight.

He smiled, and she felt the warm radiance of His love. Like a patient teacher instructing His youthful student, He spoke, "I have already taught you, My child, how to handle anything that I give you. Hold it lightly not tightly. Do not clench it possessively. It is a Gift of My love; no merit of yours has earned it. You have asked Me to give you My best will for your life, and this is part of My answer. Trust My love.

"So then, what are you going to do with your Gift, My child?"

"Father, I remember now....As with all the gifts of Your love, I should give it back to You. Nothing is dearer to me than You. I am Yours alone.

"Here, Heavenly Father, You take it...."

As Willing Pupil surrendered her precious Gift to the Father, His hands encircled both the Gift and her fingers. A miracle began to unfold before her wondering eyes—the Gift was suddenly transformed into a smaller object but of more exquisite quality and distilled beauty beyond what human eyes have beheld. Its former shape and worth could not be compared to its new appearance and inestimable value.

Then Heavenly Father returned the Gift to her! It was no longer fragile but indestructible, a refined and rare gem, eternal in composition.

Awed by the marvelous transformation of her Gift, Willing Pupil whispered, "Father, it remains truly Yours—all Yours! You gave it to me first; now it is redeemed to be used for Your glory. And it doesn't hide Your face from me any longer!"

Suddenly her eyes were opened to see angel hosts observing the scene. They covered their faces in reverence to behold the deep fellowship between Heavenly Father and Willing Pupil. He delighted in her since she obeyed Him willingly. And her delight and joy in Him was made full by Heavenly Father's love and choice for her.

Nearby, under the shadow of a fluffy cloud, she saw Recording Angel, quill in hand, writing upon a scroll: Examination passed! Promoted to the next grade in the Private School of Discipline.

****

From THE RESOURCE BOOK

James 1:17

“Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow.” 
Psalm 37:4
"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you
 the desires of your heart."

Philippians 3:7,8

“But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things,

and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ.”