Last week, our family had a first-of-its-kind adventure. We went on a last-minute cruise (I’ve never planned a vacation so fast!). But the deal was too good to pass up, and we all had the availability.
We always wondered if we were “cruise people.” . . . Would I feel seasick too often on the ship? Would we feel claustrophobic in our cabin? Would we be itching to get off the ship and explore dry ground? Well, after 4 nights sailing in the Bahamas, we now know – yes, we are cruise people!
Do you ever do something and still can’t believe you did it? That’s me right now! 😊
It was a wonderful family vacation with so many different things to do. We watched broadway-style shows, played trivia, swam in the clear, blue water, walked endlessly, and ate so much.
Each day of the cruise at a certain time, there was a free charm given away in the ship’s primary jewelry store. The charm was different every day, and if you attended a shopping info show as well, you also received the bracelet.
Do free things ever suck you in?
Well, we got sucked in! Every day, we went and waited in a line to get our free charm. Along with the charm, they would hand out raffle tickets and tell us to come back in a half an hour for a chance to win one of three prizes. The prizes were placed in big shopping bags with the store’s name proudly printed on it.
We would wait in line, return at the appointed time, hold our tickets and hope that our six-digit raffle number would be called. At the shopping ambassador’s instruction, the crowd would yell, “Shake it up, Nancy,” – the affectionate name the man gave the bag with all the tickets. Then, he would reach in and pull out a ticket.
In between the ticket pulls, we would hear about the various diamonds and watches and the benefit of sailing in international waters (which means no sales tax). With great exuberance, the shopping ambassador would share about the products in the store and the wonderful partnership with this international jewelry company.
Yes, we did this every day. We started it and quite frankly, felt committed – like we needed to finish the quest of adding charms for our new bracelets. Free stuff kind of just sucks you in like that. That and the chance to be a winner – to win something of value. To feel the excitement of being selected and chosen.
That last night aboard the ship, I lightly leaned on the lit-up glass case displaying thousands of dollars of diamonds and looked at Anna standing next to me holding her ticket. I didn’t care if I won or not – sure, it would be fun. But what I really wanted was for her to win, for my daughter to receive something special – hopefully something sparkly and pretty . . . for her to be adorned with something nice.
And it struck me in that moment that while I am wishing that for my child, our Heavenly Father not only desires to bless His children, but He has already given us all kinds of rich, heavenly blessings. He doesn’t even wish it, He simply does it!
Let’s look at what Paul says in Ephesians.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth.
Ephesians 1:3-10 (emphasis mine)
My friend, not only in Christ have you been chosen by God, but you have also been freely given rich blessings of His glory. If you are feeling discouraged today or even just a little ordinary, remember: you are already a winner.
You have every spiritual blessing. You have adoption as His child. You have acceptance, redemption, forgiveness, and an inheritance. You have the promise of His presence and His peace. You are special and loved by Him!
Be encouraged today. The Father has called your number and clothes you with Jesus’ righteousness and glory. He adorns you even now . . . and it is so much more than some sparkly bling from a jewelry case could ever do!
All for Jesus,
Kristen
