The Gift of Life

Life is a privilege. Just being alive, right here and now is an awesome gift from God. I believe that this is the starting point of all gratitude to God. If we cannot take pleasure in the miraculous wonder of being alive, then I am not sure anything else will give us true enjoyment. All our dreams and plans will come to a standstill as soon as this life we have and take for granted is taken from us. When I wake up in the morning, I am happy because I have one more day to achieve whatever dreams or plans I have in my heart. The fact that I can dream of doing things or being somewhere or somebody is a gift. And all of these dreams and plans are possible because I am alive. Each new day is a gift that gives me opportunity to correct my mistakes of yesterdays. It affords me the opportunity to ask for mercy and forgiveness from the Lord and from those whom I may have offended. It provides opportunity to love more deeply and grow in intimacy with God and with the wonderful people He has given me.

Do not waste your days in fights, quarrels and bitterness because too soon they are all gone…wasted…spent. That is what most of us are doing. We are spending our lives and not investing them. We are hoarding and not giving and sharing our lives with others. No wonder most of us are growing older with regrets and a deep sense of dissatisfaction. Years ago, a friend gave me a lovely skirt suit and months later, we went on a trip to the UK for a seminar and it was winter. Needless to say that it was dreadfully cold, so for extra warmth I wore this lovely suit top to sleep. When she saw me getting out of bed with that suit in the morning she was very unhappy with me. I discovered that day how expensive the suit was. She told me that it was one of her most expensive suits and she gave it to me because she valued me as a friend. I was cold, yes. But I had used a lovely and expensive gift for a wrong purpose and the source of the gift was unhappy with me. I had devalued the gift. That winter experience taught me a profound lesson about life. I learned that every gift I receive has cost the giver something and the only thrill for the giver is that I value and use the gift in an appropriate way.

Life is a beautiful and expensive gift from God. It is to be treasured, valued and used wisely and invested in the purpose for which we were created. When we misuse our lives or make light of the fact that we are alive we make the Source of life, our God unhappy. We all have dreams that are yet to come to pass and prayers that are yet to be answered, but that does not mean that life is to be endured. Some of us have been rejected and abused by people who were supposed to protect and love us, but it does not take out the fact that life is a gift from God. To be truly appreciative of life your sights must transcend beyond earthly circumstances to the abundant life that Jesus promised those who believe in Him because without Him we can do nothing. So value your life because it is a gift and someday we will give an account of how we spent or invested it. Let us learn to approach each day with gratitude and close each day with thanksgiving to the Lord because He sees you where you are right now. Peace!