There Is Always Action Required

I am not a wildflower which can do nothing and receive all the blessings coming my way. Even though my Creator cares for me and loves me even more than the wildflower that is also cared for there is more required of me than of the simple flower. Action is always required on my part to receive even the gifts freely given of God.

If my father hands me a present for my birthday, that is a gift freely given out of his love for me. I did nothing to deserve or earn it other than be born and staying alive long enough to reach whatever annual marker we are celebrating, and since I had nothing to do with my being born and actively took part in activities that should have shortened my life making it a miracle of God that I reached my current age, both of these prerequisites are not something I have done, can take credit for, or had any control over. Yet to receive the gift I must take action, even though that action has nothing to do with earning or deserving the gift.

To continue with the birthday gift analogy, the first thing I must do is show up somewhere where I can see mmy father, or at the very least where he can leave the present for me. In order to receive the gifts from my Spiritual Father I must place myself in position where there can be an encounter between us. Then, back to the earthly present, I must take the present from my father's hands or pick it up from where he has lain it. Even if he were to toss it to me, I must catch it. At no time will the gift magically appear in my grasp. I must take it and hold it. I must do something. The same once again is true spiritually. In order to accept the gifts and blessings from my Spiritual Father, I must be willing to reach out to receive them. He will not force them on me. Finally, with the earthly present I must open the packaging and take out the gift for me to truly posses it. Spiritually, I must take the gifts and blessings into my life and realize that I have them in order for it to make any difference in my life that I do.

But there is even more action required of me once I take the actions required to receive my gifts and blessings. Receiving them is not the end of the story. If my father gives me something, I have to use it if it is to mean anything. I can not show gratitude and appreciation for his gift, his care for me, and his love for me by sticking it in storage and forgetting it exists until I am doing inventory. If the item is something to be used, worn, consumed, etc., then I need to use it, wear it, consume it, or take whatever other action necessary to utilize it. Then it can do me some good, it can add something to my life, and my father can see and knnow that I value what he has given me. Spiritually, this holds true as well. My Creator has given me gifts and blessings over and beyond anything I could ever deserve or earn. But they add nothing to my life and are esteemed of no value if I do not use them. I must use them, consume them, wear them, love them, care for them, etc. in order to have them truly bless me. I must show my gratitude for them in order to express my understanding of their value. I can not simply allow them to be with no action taken on my part or they will be like the gift placed in a storage shed, unavailable when most needed rather than ready at hand.

I pray today that I have eyes to see the many gifts and blessings that are in my life, that I do nothing that would take me out of position for a personal encounter with my God so that I can receive what He wants to give me today, that I taste of what He gives me that my life may be richer for it, and that I show my gratitude above all else so that the gift be appraised with the highest value it deserves by myself and those who see it.