I love gifts, I don't particularly like surprises, but I love that feeling of opening a box and delighting in what is in it.
The givers generosity, their insight into what we delight in, but also those unexpected presents where a new dimension has been imparted to us, through the wisdom of the giver.
And so this story was like a gift, shared among us at our home group.
We are part of a wonderful home group, we are all so special, just because we are. We delight in each other and we laugh a lot. He is definitely surprising us all.
We have travelled many journeys, over 20 years or more of friendships, but mostly spent going our separate ways, but God in His infinite wisdom, has brought us together, for such a time as this, but that's another healing story, for another day.
But back to boxes and present...ah yes, so this beautiful friend who comes to home group was sharing with us a dream, a prophecy, a live heart story, a journey of her mind and heart through a vision, that God took her on, and the story, her vision went something like this ..
A woodcutter surveyed His land, He saw that His trees were ready for felling, a tree has many uses, and it was time for the next phase of the journey, He, the Woodcutter, surveyed and chose many that He wished to put to His service, and as many as He chose, He will in time chose them all who wish to serve.
Finally, after much wait, this one tree, was also chosen, and the prunning process began, after all the small snagging branches had to be removed, those that hold us back, those same branches that detract from the main trunk of the tree, those that poke your eyes out when we try to get close, for a bit of tree hugging...
And as these beautiful trees were pruned and then felled, they were rolled down to the river, immersed in that glorious water, floating in the river of life, tied together, bumped and submerged and floated down to the wood yard.
Once there they were brought to shore, and placed by the Woodcutter in His yard, but to any untrained heart, it looked like they had just been left...left to the elements, under the sun, the rain and the wind, for seasons of seasoning, because, you see, that seasoning is such a huge part of the process, it's where the sun's heat brings out the sap, it's where the rain washes it all away, the wind comes and blows afresh, so this process can be repeated again and again...
And her cry as she watched, was Lord how much longer?
Until, finally the day arrived, when the tree, now a log was moved into the drying room, where there it stayed for a while, until it was ripe and ready to be planned and planned and planned, until the cry from all of us unskilled observers, listeners, without understanding of the Masters hand was ...how much more has to be cut off and what will remain?
But there was no panic in the Masters Craftsmans hands, because He knew His plan all along, and though it was not clear for all to see, He knew what He had in mind, He knew that no bit of that tree, log, now a plank would be wasted.
And as He worked and chisseled, from His hands, He fastened a box, and she looked and saw a perfect small box, a treasure, but again the cry from her heart was why, why so small, was it necessary to trim, to prune, to cut so much off, now look, all that is left is this small box...
And with the woodsman, craftsman perfect insight, He said said, my Dear, the box is beautiful, it is there for a purpose, so look inside, and like all vessels which are destined for a Divine purpose, after undergoing so many changes, there it was, inside, there was the perfect oil, a precious gift, straight from the Masters hand.
You see He said, it's not about the vessel, it's about the oil, the healing oil, the oil of anointing , My oil, that carries My mandate, My imprint, My gifts for the nations.
And as she told us her vision, The Masters heart cry came to us, will we be glad to carry His oil into our lives?
Will we be glory carriers, love and joy carriers, life carriers, healing, peace and patience carriers, kindness, gentleness, goodness carriers, faithfulness carriers full of self control, wisdom and insight?
All because He is and He gives, and He has gifted us this most amazing of ALL gifts, the gift of life with Him and through Him, the most beautiful, perfect gift of all, His Son Jesus, who walked and lived with the worlds heavy needs and yet was not dismayed or tired of doing good because the Fathers oil was poured upon Him, and this same oil, He gives to us through His Holy Spirit today, what gift.
I am so thankful that its not about the box, it's not about me, it's not about people being the perfect box, it's about the oil, His Spirit within me, my hope to see His glory, to see Him be relied on, called upon, released for our wholeness, throughout the nations, for this generation, in these troubled times.
Christ in me, the hope of glory.
Wow, what a gift...
