"I'm learning to give God a little credit. If
imperfect fathers love to bestow blessings on their children, imagine
how our perfect Father in heaven must delight in giving good gifts to
us, his beloved children." - Bill Hybels
The above quote got me thinking (I know... something I never do!) about the gifts that are given to us. Or answered prayers and blessings. Think about the last time that you got a job offer that you've wanted for a long time, an answer to prayer, or a friendship that you didn't deserve. For myself, those blessings, those gifts - are cherished far more than the normal every day blessings that I might overlook.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines cherish as (1) to hold dear: feel or show affection for, or to keep or cultivate with care and affection; and (2) to entertain or harbor in the mind deeply and resolutely. Subsequently, synonyms listed for cherish are "adore, love, worship"; while antonyms are "abhor, abominate, despise, detest, execrate, hate, loath". More than the definition, it was the synonyms and antonyms that helped open my eyes up to the things that I cherish. The more I thought about it, the things that I cherish are things that I received, that I most certainly didn't deserve. The more you cherish something - whether it is a person, place, thing, or idea - the more you value it, hold it dear to your heart, and the more invested in it you become.
Some of the things that I cherish
(1) My faith and salvation, drawing closer to God
(2) My children
(3) Relationships with people who value me for who I am
(4) The ability to play the clarinet/music
(5) Time with loved ones while they are in our lives
What are the blessings that you cherish? Have you thanked God for that blessing? Do you treat it (or him or her) like you cherish them?
No comments:
Post a Comment