“My daughter, do not pay so much attention to the vessel of grace as to the grace itself which I give you, because you are not always pleased with the vessel, and then the graces, too, become deficient. I want to guard you from that, and I want you never to pay attention to the vessel in which I send you My grace. Let all the attention of your soul be concentrated on responding to My grace as faithfully as possible.” Divine Mercy in My Soul # 1599
I sit this morning reading Divine Mercy in My Soul and come to this paragraph. As Patrick and Joy say in their YouTube channel – BOOM!
So many in the world today look at what is given to them by the vessel of the gift. They look for the pretty bow and wrapping as an important part of the gift. But, God tells the soul that it is about His gift of grace that we should focus not the vessel in which it is given.
BOOM!
I look back at those time of grace and see many of the greatest grace ‘gifts’ came in packages I’d rather not have had.
Two of the biggest, I’ve talked of before – my dad’s death and funeral and my daughter’s illness and near death. I begged God to take away my daughter’s illness that I might praise Him. At the time, I would have given everything to bring my father back.
The ‘gift wrapping’ was ugly on these two vessels of grace. But, the grace within the wrapping was incredible beyond words or thought. In the moments, I missed the grace for the vessel. I thank God He has shown me the incredible beauty of the grace within the vessels of delivery.
Look at the cross. The crucifixion of Jesus by His own people whom He came to save is the most horrible event in mankind’s history. Even topping the apple or WW2 or anything. Yet, the grace in that horrible vessel of the cross is beyond compare or anything.
We so often look at how the gift is delivered and miss the gift. The soul who can see God’s gift of grace through it all is truly blessed. Grace of God delivered in the loss of a loved one, a bad diagnosis, chemo or whatever is often more beautiful than the sunshine and rainbow wrapped gifts. These are the gifts of grace given to draw the soul to God in trust.
Stop asking God for pretty wrapping or lovely sunny moments in dark times. Turn to God in trust asking Him to show you the gleaming gift of grace within the muck and grime of the moment. Look for the grace not at the vessel delivering that grace. You might miss it.