A Place of Grace

Thought of the Week

    by Susan

   November 12, 2018

(Note:  A Place of Grace is published on a weekly basis)

 

Treasures

Someone sent this little story to me. It brought tears to my eyes and then I thought of Someone else who loves us so much more, more than we can fathom with an unconditional love.

Mary and her husband Jim had a dog named Lucky. Lucky was a real character. Whenever Mary and Jim had company come for a weekend visit they would warn their friends to not leave their luggage open because Lucky would help himself to whatever struck his fancy. Inevitably, someone would forget and something would come up missing.

Mary or Jim would go to Lucky’s toy box in the basement and there the treasure would be amongst all of Lucky’s other favorite toys. Lucky always stashed his finds in his toy box and he was very particular that his toys stay in the box.

It happened that Mary found out she had breast cancer. Something told her she was going to die of this disease…in fact, she was just sure it was fatal. (You think that “something” was fear??)

Mary scheduled the double mastectomy; fear encased her heart and mind. The night before she was to go to the hospital she cuddled with Lucky. The three-year-old dog loved her husband Jim but Lucky was Mary’s dog, Lucky was very attached to her. Mary worried that Lucky would mourn himself to death when she died. (She was so sure she was going to die.)

The double mastectomy was harder on Mary than her doctors had anticipated and Mary was in the hospital for over two weeks. Jim took good care of Lucky and always took him for his evening walk but the little dog just moped around and you could tell he was miserable.

Finally the day came for Mary to leave the hospital. When she arrived home, Mary was so exhausted she couldn’t even make it up the steps to her bedroom. Jim made his wife comfortable on the couch and left her to take a nap. Lucky stood watching Mary but he didn’t come to her when she called which made Mary sad but she quickly fell asleep.

When Mary woke up, for a second she couldn’t understand what was wrong. She couldn’t move her head and her body felt heavy and hot. But panic soon gave way to laughter when Mary realized the problem. She was covered, literally blanketed, with every treasure Lucky owned! While she had slept, the sorrowing dog had made trip after trip to the basement bringing his beloved owner all his favorite things in life. He had covered her with his love.

Mary forgot about dying, instead she and Lucky began living again, walking further and further together every day. It’s been 12 years now and Mary is still cancer-free. Lucky? He still steals treasures and stashes them in his toy box but Mary remains his greatest treasure.

Do you know that you are one of God’s greatest treasures? Do you know that He blankets you in His love and peace? Did you know that in your time of crisis and dark hours He walks with you and lights your way? Did you know that God has a treasure box too and that if you are open and obedient to Him He will share all He has with you? God already gave you His very best, His Son, Jesus who gave His very best, His life, just for you. You are His greatest treasure.

Philippians 4:6-7 1 Samuel 25:29 John 3:16

 

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