Christina’s Secret Gift

Devotional for 2/5/11

When Christina was a little girl, she had a secret. Her secret was unlike anyone else’s. It was a very special gift. Her gift was an ear for music. Now, this was not the kind of musical gift you would expect. Christina was not a musician, a composer or a singer…but she did hear music…beautiful, divine music. No one else could hear this music but Christina. It was a gift only for her.

When Christina was a little girl, she had another secret. This secret was much like the secrets that, sadly, many little boys and girls keep. Her secret was that things happened to her. They were bad things that happened because of someone else who did them to her. They were things that should never happen to anyone, especially a child.

But there was something about these secrets that Christina didn’t understand when she was a little girl. Whenever the moments of bad things happened, her keen ear heard the music. She would focus on the comforting heavenly sounds. She would meditate on the angelic voices harmonizing together. She would carefully listen to the power of this gift and draw on the strength it gave her to get herself through the bad things. And when the moments were over, she would remember the music and feel loved in spite of whatever had happened.

Now, when Christina was a little older and away from the bad things, she still had her secret gift, but it would now come in different situations and its purpose changed. It still gave her comfort and strength, but now it would guide her. When Christina would make wrong choices, when she found herself in dangerous situations, or when sin, ignorance and just plain life caused devastating circumstances to affect her, she would hear the beautiful sounds. They would give her wisdom to know where to go and what to do.

There were even times when it protected her…sometimes, she felt, from monsters…demonic spirits that manifested themselves in devious ways. But Christina knew not to go near them wherever they lurked because the music would be especially loud in those places. She knew it was a warning to get away, and the music would direct her to a safe place, and then the music would bring her peace.

When Christina was an adult, after she’d been married for some time, her family began going to church. She had always wished to go to church. Her grandma was a Christian and would always pray for her when they were together…and when they weren’t. She called her grandma, Ginny, and Ginny always wanted for Christina to go to church. Ginny told Christina all about Jesus when she was a little girl. Now that her family was willing to go, Christina got her wish, and before long, she learned how to know Jesus more intimately. When she did…the music stopped. This saddened Christina at first, but then she realized that she had her protection and comfort, she had her warnings and guidance, she had her wisdom and peace from the Holy Spirit because of her Savior.

Ginny passed away before Christina and her family began walking personally with Jesus. She never got to see the wonderful transformation in her granddaughter’s life. However, Christina now believes that her secret gift was also Ginny’s gift. She believes that it was Ginny’s answered prayers. Christina’s thankful to her Ginny and to her Lord for all the years of prayer and protection while she was growing up. She’ll never forget the precious gift that God gave to her. And Christina has learned to never cease praying for her loved ones. You never know how God’s going to creatively and beautifully answer them.

Thank you, Christina, for letting me tell your amazing story

The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save;

He will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love;

He will exult over you with loud singing…

I will take away your troubles, lifting up your shame from off you.

See, at that time, I will put an end to all who have been troubling you:

I will give salvation to her whose steps are uncertain,

And get together her who has been sent in flight;

 and I will make them a cause of praise

And an honored name in all the earth,

when I let their fate be changed.

Zephaniah 3:17-19

Written by Amie Spruiell 2/5/2011