All-Inclusive
By Maria Drayton
And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. John 14:13-14 NIV
My first taste of international travel began during my twenties and now I can’t get enough. I have only recently, though, begun to expand past the Bahamas. This summer my family traveled to Cancun, Mexico and I couldn’t have been more excited.
This trip was going to be different than my past travels because we chose to get the “all-inclusive” package this time. I hadn’t known what to expect so my expectations were low as I hesitantly took “all-inclusive” to mean “the majority of things but not everything.” Or maybe it meant “all-inclusive” as long as you do _______ when you get there.”
When we arrived, I was astonished to find out that “all-inclusive” actually meant everything. It meant the food, drinks, the room service, the shows, and the tours. If you wanted anything extra you could purchase it but for the necessities, they were all-included.
It’s the same when we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior. We are adopted into His family and everything He has and is, becomes ours, immediately accessible. And yes, it means “everything”. When He died for our sins everything was paid for.
Christ paid the price so that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to all the people of the world through Jesus Christ and we would receive the promised Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:14 GWT
So I was quite surprised when I looked at the room-service menu and saw there were actually things that we could get delivered to the room with no fee! I had always avoided the room-service menus in hotel rooms like the plague.
But now, I perused the menu and even ordered from it a few times. The room refrigerator was now fully stocked for our taking!
Tipping became the only method of payment and this was only voluntary. But we tipped everyone for everything because not only did we appreciate their punctuality, their attentiveness, and hospitality but we were thankful for it. The Lord asks the same of us; to give not out of necessity but because we are thankful for what He has done for us.
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7
With a grateful, heart my expectations were surpassed by this year’s family vacation. Not only did we enjoy the Caribbean immensely but I learned more about who He is. My prayer today is that we begin to learn our journey with Him, is all-inclusive.
….And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19 NIV
Thank You Lord for everything you are. You came to this world, died and rose again all for me. Today I am reminded that all that You are is accessible to me. That I can come boldly to Your throne, is alone a miracle. I am not worthy of everything You’ve given to me and I praise You this day for being better to me than I’ve been to myself. Your faithfulness to me reminds me that everything has already been paid for. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
© 2021 by Maria Drayton. All rights reserved.
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