The Gem
He held it in the palm of His Hand. I could see it from where I was standing. Sister, next to me, could see it, too.
"It's bright and beautiful," she leaned over and whispered in my ear.
I could see it sparkling as it peeked out from Father's Fingers. The sunlight captured it and released its glory. A Gem of all gems.
"What must we do to see it?" I asked her, as my desire to see it grew stronger.
"We must ask."
"Do you really think Father will let us see it?" I said, questioning His willingness.
"Of course!" Sister exclaimed. "It's His good pleasure to give us the Kingdom! He pulls out His treasures every morning and holds them in His Hands. And then He waits."
"Waits?" I asked.
"Yes, He waits to see if anyone will notice. He waits to see if anyone will stop long enough to ask what He is holding and ask to see them.
"But, there are many who don't notice, so they don't think to ask. Then there are others who do notice and desire to look at it, but they are afraid to ask. They think there is something they must do to get Him to open His Hand. They think it's conditional and requires payment."
"What about you?" I asked Sister. "Have you asked Him to see His Treasures?"
Her eyes got big with the thought of it.
"I never used to," she said. "I used to be the one that never noticed. Then I became the one that noticed but was afraid to ask. But one day, as I was standing in His Presence, He saw that I was mesmerized by the sparkle. I could feel His excitement as He smiled, leaned forward, and said in a jolly voice, 'I have brought out these Treasures from my Storehouse today just for you!' My heart leaped as He spoke. I was stunned to learn that the Treasures He held were actually intended for me."
"Then what happened?" I asked, hanging on her every word.
"I asked."
"You asked?"
"Yes, and I didn't have to give Him anything in return. I simply asked."
We both paused and looked at each other with a smile.
"Go on," I said.
"Well," Sister continued, "He leaned forward with His Hand extended and opened His Fingers. Inside was the most amazing gem I had every seen. I must have stared at it for... what seemed like forever, and then He said to me, 'This is for you.'
"He GAVE it to you??" I said in disbelief.
"Yes, and I have hidden it here inside the deepest part of my clothing. See?"
Her hand went deep inside her jacket and she pulled out a sparkling, priceless Gem.
Looking closer at it, I said, "This is a different color than the one I see Him holding now."
"Of course. His Gems come in all different sizes and colors, all different revelations and facets of Himself. Each time we come to Him, He is holding a different Gem."
"Amazing," I whispered, as I looked back up at His Hand. "I think I'm going to find out if that Gem is for me."
"It's bright and beautiful," she leaned over and whispered in my ear.
I could see it sparkling as it peeked out from Father's Fingers. The sunlight captured it and released its glory. A Gem of all gems.
"What must we do to see it?" I asked her, as my desire to see it grew stronger.
"We must ask."
"Do you really think Father will let us see it?" I said, questioning His willingness.
"Of course!" Sister exclaimed. "It's His good pleasure to give us the Kingdom! He pulls out His treasures every morning and holds them in His Hands. And then He waits."
"Waits?" I asked.
"Yes, He waits to see if anyone will notice. He waits to see if anyone will stop long enough to ask what He is holding and ask to see them.
"But, there are many who don't notice, so they don't think to ask. Then there are others who do notice and desire to look at it, but they are afraid to ask. They think there is something they must do to get Him to open His Hand. They think it's conditional and requires payment."
"What about you?" I asked Sister. "Have you asked Him to see His Treasures?"
Her eyes got big with the thought of it.
"I never used to," she said. "I used to be the one that never noticed. Then I became the one that noticed but was afraid to ask. But one day, as I was standing in His Presence, He saw that I was mesmerized by the sparkle. I could feel His excitement as He smiled, leaned forward, and said in a jolly voice, 'I have brought out these Treasures from my Storehouse today just for you!' My heart leaped as He spoke. I was stunned to learn that the Treasures He held were actually intended for me."
"Then what happened?" I asked, hanging on her every word.
"I asked."
"You asked?"
"Yes, and I didn't have to give Him anything in return. I simply asked."
We both paused and looked at each other with a smile.
"Go on," I said.
"Well," Sister continued, "He leaned forward with His Hand extended and opened His Fingers. Inside was the most amazing gem I had every seen. I must have stared at it for... what seemed like forever, and then He said to me, 'This is for you.'
"He GAVE it to you??" I said in disbelief.
"Yes, and I have hidden it here inside the deepest part of my clothing. See?"
Her hand went deep inside her jacket and she pulled out a sparkling, priceless Gem.
Looking closer at it, I said, "This is a different color than the one I see Him holding now."
"Of course. His Gems come in all different sizes and colors, all different revelations and facets of Himself. Each time we come to Him, He is holding a different Gem."
"Amazing," I whispered, as I looked back up at His Hand. "I think I'm going to find out if that Gem is for me."
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