The law of the Lord is perfect,
it revives the soul.
The rule of the Lord is to be trusted,
it gives wisdom to the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right,
they gladden the heart.
The command of the Lord is clear,
it gives light to the eyes.
Psalm 18
• From the archive, January 2007...
I’ve been giving some serious thought over the past few days about how I struggle with some things in my life and never seem able to come to terms or overcome these particular issues. I constantly ask God to help – even plead, but nothing seems to come back. And I got to thinking...
There I am, praying everyday, asking for this and that, to be blessed in all sorts of ways. But when God does deliver, does offer with both hands, I start getting picky, like choosing only those chocolates I like from the selection box, the gifts that give a little buzz and pleasure, those I enjoy.
The other ‘sweets’ in the box I tend to leave alone, discard, or put onto one side with a response like: “Thank you, but I’ll tackle that later” – like not wanting to waste time chewing through a tough toffee when there are soft centres that can be absorbed more easily and give the buzz ‘I want’. The hard stuff I’ll leave to later, that’s if I can ever be bothered to go back to it at all.
And then the next day I start all over again: “Lord help me with this, help me with that...” and the whole process is repeated over and over until it is God’s time to step in and break the hopeless cycle.
Last night Jesus stepped in... In my mind’s eye I saw a picture of Him with his two hands outstretched before me, similar to how one receives communion in the hand. Both hands were full of gifts, some in brightly coloured wrapping, others in dull brown paper tied with string, which I didn’t like the look of. But I took them all because I was concerned if I didn’t maybe He wouldn’t offer them again.
And yes, it was the bright boxes that I first began to open – every fool knows that all good things come in bright and attractive wrapping. So I continued sifting through the gifts, taking some, ignoring others, until I sensed that I was being shown a lesson, God’s revealing ways. And then I realised how blind I have been to the fact that the Father only hands out goodness, nothing bad. There isn’t a bad bone in Him; that the brown paper gifts, the tough toffees, are full of God’s goodness and necessary for my health in mind, body and soul; and that if I don’t start chewing on the hard toffees, the tough decisions, and having patience to untie the knots on the string parcels, then I will remain deficient in many areas of my life.
I have to WORK at the gifts and the talents handed to me by God, not sit back and look for the soft and easy route all of the time. I know now that graces come in all sizes, colours and packages. All, like vitamins, are given to me because I am need of them. If I discard some then my spirit will not be healthy. My body also may suffer unnecessary.
Our Lady gives gifts of plenty from Medjugorje. There is a programme called the Five Stones. It involves Prayer, Fasting, Monthly Reconciliation, reading the Bible and frequent attendance at Mass. All beautiful gifts, but not always easy to chew on or even swallow. It can be so easy to be ‘picky’ with these as well.
So next time I come on to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, asking for this and that, I have a feeling He will say, “I gave you that last week. Best check inside yourself first. Go on, make an effort. Untie the string, take off the wrapper and get chewing!”
Dear children, I am coming to you in this your time, to direct the call to eternity to you. This is the call of love. I call you to love, because only through love will you come to know the love of God. Many think that they have faith in God and that they know his laws. They try to live according to them, but they do not do what is the most important; they do not love Him. My children, pray and fast. This is the way which will help you to open yourselves and to love. Only through the love of God is eternity gained. I am with you. I will lead you with the motherly love. Thank you for having responded. Medjugorje message, October 2, 2006
