April 25

“Perhaps some may ask why it is, if all things are indeed God’s servants sent to bring us some message or some gift, that they themselves never seem to get these gifts or messages.  The answer is simply this, that because these gifts and messages have come to them wrapped in coarse and ugly packages, they have refused to receive and open them.”  Hannah Whitall Smith, Daily Secrets, 4/25

Today’s Daily Secrets is again reminding me that all things are God’s servants and that some of His blessings come wrapped in coarse packages.  I had this thought pop up yesterday about the old poems I’d received this week in the mail from a cousin.  The poems were written by our great-grandmother around 1880, and I was feeling discouraged about how difficult they are to read because of the deterioration of the paper and ink. In addition, I’d hoped there would be some letters in the bunch since the poems could be based on fiction rather than fact and therefore give me no more information about their lives than I already had, which isn’t much.  As I mulled over my discontent I was reminded that I hadn’t actually read all the poems yet.  Perhaps, hidden within the faded pages--or yet to come from my cousin or some yet unknown source--are pieces of the puzzle that will shed light on all the clues I already have.  I must carefully examine what I do have so that I’ll be able to see what’s yet to come.  This is what she means when she says some of our blessings are wrapped in coarse and ugly packages!

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”  Philippians 4:8