Given and Received

~~~ Acts of the Apostles 22:30; 23:6-11 ~~~ Psalm 16 ~~~

~~~ John 17:20-26 ~~~

Father, they are your gift to me.
I wish that where I am they also may be with me...

Have you ever considered yourself as a gift to another person?
The first year my husband and I celebrated Christmas
as a married couple I wrapped up a big box
put a big bow in my hair
and put my chin on top of the back of the box.
I joyfully announced that I was his Christmas gift.
We were poor newly weds spending
 the holidays away from our families.

We still laugh about that time today some
forty years after the fact.

Jesus is telling the Father, with much joy,
that we are his gift.
He is so excited with his gift
 that he does not want to leave us behind.

We often hear people speak about not being able
 to take this or that with them when they die.

These things are mostly referring to our material
worldly possessions.

Here Jesus is speaking about taking us with him.
When you truly love another separation is painful.
Jesus knows that we belong with him
just as all gifts are for the recipient.

Gifts are chosen specifically for the intended receiver.
It is no different when it comes to the gift
 the Father chose for the Son.

You and I were chosen to be given to the Son...
we are his gifts.
We were not chosen haphazardly.
We were chosen by Divine intention.

This time of year we have many occasions to give
 a gift to someone...weddings, graduation, birthdays...

As you are shopping for the next gift consider,
 for just a moment the very gift that person
 is not just to you but for Jesus.

The Father gave all of us as gift to Jesus...
even those who we would not consider as gift.

Father, they are your gift to me.
I wish that where I am they also may be with me..

I can only imagine how Jesus spoke of us
with great enthusiasm and joy.

God the Father could not have chosen
a better gift for Jesus than to give him you.

Blessed to be given and received in love.
~~~Peace~~~