Fully paid

It could not get any better….received a gift to travel to a resort location with all expenses paid: flight & hotel, and a wallet I was instructed to open only after I had checked into the hotel room.

Extremely excited and looking forward to a lovely time, I packed my bags and got ready to fly! I got my boarding tickets from the airline staff and walked down the corridor into the plane. I located my seat but someone, a tall & big guy, was in my allocated seat. I paused, for a second, and considered my options: should I get this guy to stand up or should I look for an unoccupied seat.

His physique was a bit daunting, I must confess! But I summoned the courage, told him it was my seat & showed him my boarding papers – that was my proof! To my surprise, he said, “well, I sat there because it was empty, there are other empty seats, occupy one”. Truly, the plane was not filled and I could easily find a seat. Also, the air hostess tried cajoling me into another seat. But I stood my ground, after all, that one had my name on it! I think I made myself a bit unpopular.

Fast forward to 1.5hours later and checking into the hotel. The receptionist was warm and beautiful. As she was about handing over the key to the room, she said with all smiles, “I am sorry but there has been an error on room allocation. Instead of the original “double room” booked for me, she will have to give me a single room”. She further said, since it is only me, she hopes I would not mind.

“This is not what I bargained for!”, this I screamed in my head! Forcing a smile back, I said, “I mind!, my double room had been paid for, I won’t want anything less”. After a few hours delay, passing the intent of my heart across via my eyes, she got me my room. The few guys behind me wanting to check in but who had to wait till I was sorted gave me funny looks. Again, I had murmurs – “could not she accept the single room?” Phew! I cared less really.

When I stepped into my room, I felt a huge relief and said out loud, “No one and nothing will stop me enjoying this trip”.

It was a 4-day trip. I had great fun: bought exotic food & drinks, took long walks, bought souvenirs etc.

Mid day on the 4th day, my beloved, who presented me with this fabulous gift rang me to say hello. We talked through all the experience – good, bad and the ugly. He asked if I had used up all the vouchers. I said, “what vouchers?” There and then, I picked up the unopened wallet and saw food & drink vouchers at top notch restaurants, 2 spa treatment vouchers and extra cash for shopping.

I bit my tongue! I missed out! The vouchers were time-bound and neither could I go out to town anymore. My first reaction – I castigated my beloved, “why did not you call me day 1 or even day 2 to remind me?”. My second reaction – I retraced, “what made me forget the wallet?” Answer – my two experiences earlier that day?

It was too late! Vouchers were unused and forfeited, beloved was not 100% pleased, I missed out of even having a much more greater fun in a “fully paid” vacation. Oh, how sad!

This is how I relate this to my Christian walk:

1. Jesus Christ fully paid the price for my salvation and eternity with everything in between including the blessing of Abraham.

2. In this world, the enemy will plan to steal, kill and destroy the blessing by negotiating and cajoling me to accept lesser and if I don’t resist or adamantly stand my ground by aligning my words & thoughts with the word of God, I will miss out.

3. Distraction! I should not allow myself to be distracted by the events around me. I will keep my focus: meditating daily on the word day and night and not skipping a day no matter the “events in that day”.

4. It is my responsibility to study the word. I ought not be reminded to study it. I won’t stop at making the decision to, I will put it into action.

5. There is a possibility of not enjoying 100% of the blessings; if I don’t know the full content, I would not appropriate them nor know my right and privileges.

Thank you to my Beloved who paid the price.