A gift worth saving

Looking back at journal entries, I thought I would post this one because it's seasonally appropriate. :-)

==================================================
10/1/2009 – At Christmas time, I love to sort through the presents underneath the tree, looking for ones addressed to me. I’ll pick each one up, shake it, squish it and try to identify the contents. I find books and cds fairly easy to distinguish unless the giver intentionally disguises the gift. The funny thing is, I don’t actually want to know what’s inside the wrapping until Christmas morning. I would never dream of removing the tape to look inside. I would never peek between the layers of tissue paper to see inside the gift bag. That would spoil the surprise. It would ruin the anticipation that is built by seeing the gifts but being forced to wait until Christmas morning to open them. Occasionally, the unthinkable happens, a package is torn or the gift bag spills over and the contents are revealed. I try to fix it by adding extra tape but the damage is done. I’ve seen inside and now the package doesn’t look nearly so delightful. I am the world’s worst wrapper so my haphazard attempts to reclose the package generally doesn’t work.
Analogies break down and illustrations aren’t perfect but work with me here. Ladies, our hearts and bodies are a gift. In fact, we are a temple of the Holy Spirit. Our heart and body are gifts to be treasured for our spouse – current or future. What do I want to present to my husband on our wedding night – a gift that is haphazardly wrapped, torn and in disarray or a gift that has been treasured and kept pure? If I want to latter from my future spouse, shouldn’t I be striving to offer him the same? If I give my heart away a piece at a time, what am I saving for marriage? If I give myself away physically (to any degree), am I honoring God and my future mate?
Praise God that He can restore our purity. We can’t take back the choices we’ve already made, but He can and will redeem us if we allow Him to. He will enable us to choose from this day forward to choose purity of heart & body that we can present our future mate with a precious gift.