Do You Love Me?

Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

Isaiah 43:18 

I heard this read on the radio once back in Ohio and I hate to admit that I had to pull over to cry.. ok ok.. uncontrollable sobbing is more like it. (You had to be there!). I can't remember what was going on in my life that this hit me so hard but it did.. and I told everybody I saw about it for weeks.. I don't think any further introduction is needed... 

The Pearl Necklace

Author unknown

The cheerful girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, 

she saw them: a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box. 

"Oh please, Mommy. Can I have them? Please, Mommy, please!"

Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl's upturned face.

"A dollar ninety-five. That's almost $2.00. If you really want them, I'll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday's only a week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma."

As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores and she went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. McJames if she could pick dandelions for ten cents.

On her birthday, Grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace.

Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere--Sunday school, kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.

Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story. One night when he finished the story, he asked Jenny, "Do you love me?"

"Oh yes, Daddy. You know that I love you."

"Then give me your pearls."

"Oh, Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have Princess--the white horse from my collection. The one with the pink tail. Remember, Daddy? The one you gave me. She's my favorite."

"That's okay, Honey. Daddy loves you. Good night." And he brushed her cheek with a kiss.

About a week later, after the story time, Jenny's daddy asked again, "Do you love me?"

"Daddy, you know I love you."

"Then give me your pearls."

"Oh Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my babydoll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is so beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."

"That's okay. Sleep well. God bless you, little one. Daddy loves you." And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.

A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed Indian-style. As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek.

"What is it, Jenny? What's the matter?"

Jenny didn't say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver,she finally said, "Here, Daddy. It's for you."

With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny's kind daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime-store necklace, and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny. 

He had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her genuine treasure.

What are you hanging on to?

Wow those words "what are you hanging on to?" turned my life upside down that day! It made me really think, and ask God to search me, and help me release the things that I was holding on to. things that where hindering God from being able to bless me with the genuine treasure. 

As a mother I only want what is best for my children, because I love them so much! My heart aches when I watch them settle for less. So I can only imagine how my Heavenly Father longs to bless us with the best.. but we continue to hold on the the dime store stuff.. what are we holding on to...

Our will... over His?

Our dream... over the dreams and desires He has designed us for?

A relationship we know we should not be in... over the real love He has in store for us?

A friendship we should let go off that may be holding us back... Over His plans?

A job that we hate.. when he has a better one in store?

Material things we think make us happy... over the true joy He has for us?

LET IT GO AND LET GOD!!! Whatever it is that we are holding on to let it go!! He wants nothing more than for us to say "Lord it is yours and whatever you have in store for me I want it.. I accept it, over what I feel I should have!".  

But even through all this, this is what God is really asking is: 

Do you Love ME? 

Do you trust me?

Do you not have faith?

Do you believe in me?

DO YOU LOVE ME?

Do you love Him enough to let go! If you haven't let go yet He is waiting. just like the father in the story He still loves her and sweetly kisses her goodnight.. all while secretly holding on to that box in his pocket waiting for the moment when she said YES I LOVE YOU ENOUGH TO LET IT GO! 

Wow! I pray this moves you to evaluate yourself. And I am praying that if you find something... that you will be able to let it go. God Bless you..

please comment, and share this post! God bless you! 

Stella