Unopened Gifts

 

Matthew 7:10-12 (NIV)

¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹ If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! ¹² So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

 

I recently heard someone talk about “unopened gifts”.  Both individuals talked about what if there was a room in heaven filled with unopened gifts.  What are these unopened gifts?  In my visual I could see a room larger than several warehouses filled from floor to ceiling with lovely wrapped gifts.

Some of these gifts were large and some where small.  When I drew closer to the gifts on the shelves I saw names on the boxes.  I saw Ashley Smith, Michael Brown, Robert Thompson, Barbara Jones and so many more names.  I saw what was in the gift boxes written next to each of the names.

Some of the gifts were healing, forgiveness, hope, restoration of marriage, restored relationship with children or families.  I saw gifts of preaching, worldwide ministries, pastors, church planters and more.

I wondered why there were so many unopened gifts.  I began to think about what these individuals stated.  What came to mind was what was summed up in Matthew 7:10-12.  God the Father has set aside good gifts for each of His children.  He knows everything you and I need and He has set them aside for us.  The key is in the latter part of verse 11.  It states, “…to those who ask him!” 

The problem is many of us try to handle things on our own and we never go to God and ask Him for what we need, so our gifts go unclaimed.  When we forget to ask, we miss opening God’s perfect gift for those situations and circumstances in our lives.  Either we do not ask Him or we ask amiss, again leaving the gifts opened.  So what happens to those gifts?

I believe those are the unopened gifts waiting on heavenly shelves.  I am reminded of that in scripture where it states, “…for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable” (Roman 11:29).  God has set aside some gifts and blessing with our names on them.  If we do not go and ask Him for them, they sit in this room of unopened gifts.

Now I am not trying to prove biblically a room filled with unopened gifts, I am only asking you to imagine for a moment with me.  What if God has some unopened gifts for you?  What if they are sitting in this room waiting for you to call and ask for them?  If you don’t call they will continue to sit on the shelves.

Today, I am asking God first to forgive me for not coming to Him and asking for all the good gifts He has for me, gifts to help me be a better mother, wife, preacher, and child of God.  Now I am doing as the scripture encourages, I am going to God and asking, “Lord please give to me all the good gifts you have for me.”

I want to end on this note.  I remember several years ago when I was going through something and I asked God for help.  As I was driving in to my parking pad I heard God speak to my spirit.  He said, “I enjoy giving my children good gifts”.  I began to weep as I thought about the fact that God finds pleasure in providing gifts to me.

So today, I want to encourage each of us that God has all the gifts we need.  Let us not allow them to be classified as “unopened gifts.”  Ask God for yours today and watch the windows of heaven open up for you and pour out blessings greater than you or I can even handle.