WATCHWORD:
But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Ephesians 4:7
But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 1 Corinthians 12:7
For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? 1 Corinthians 4:7
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. James 1:17
Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you 1 Timothy 4:1
Meditation:
Gifts and Graces
Do you every stop and think about the amazing array of gifts and graces and talents each of us have received from our Heavenly Father? How about expressing our gratitude? Think about this; those gifts or talents given to each of us, how are we applying them to the glory of our Lord? We have the task of shaping and transforming those raw talents and gifts into the fruit of our lives; the loving, the giving, the artistic inspiration, the parenting, etc. We chip, and scratch, and polish our raw material to discover our gifts, and the transformation continues.
Beneath our shell of hard-headedness, stubbornness, self-importance, pride, low self-esteem, etc., waits the angel of our worth. Because our gifts carry us into the world and makes us participants in life, the uncovering of them is one of the most important tasks confronting any one of us. When we talk about being ourselves, that is being the person we are intended by God to be, we are talking about amazing gifts. We cannot be ourselves unless we are true to the gifts and graces that flow to us from His hands.
It makes no difference where our gifts are intended to lead us; as a parent, a laborer, a medical professional, an artist, we cannot talk about vocation without speaking of gifts. When we speak about the gifts, we must also consider God’s purpose. Why would He lead me, and equip me, as He has, for His purpose, and yet there are time when I still lack direction?
Are we thinking that our lives are just ordinary, nothing special? How can that be? Why would God create me with these gifts, to just be ordinary, nothing special? Is that what His angels look like? Phooey, on that noise. Read and consider again the five passages listed above. Gifts in abundance, all for us to value and use.
A good share of my life has been lived believing that God created me, that God is in charge, and that God has a plan for my life, even at my certain age. Have I lived it according to my belief or the power of His gifts? While I do believe these things, there is, a voice of descent inside me that urges caution. That voice seems to be saying, you may be God’s child, but that’s not a view held by everyone here in this real world. Another voice whispers, ‘So, what? As a blessed child of God, you have other work to do. Stay with it.”
Years ago, in another city, I had a conversation with my then pastor who challenged me to pray about seeing God’s gifts without limitations, and let God sort out the ‘how to’. I did, and it changed my view. Too often we see our spiritual gifts and talents through a kind of secular haze, where we don’t see clearly, until, through prayer, we do.
The Gifts come to us through the love that God has for us, it is not our place to qualify the gifts, or the challenges that God places on our hearts. To say that a gift or grace that God has given us is not up to the task, is the same as saying that God is not up to the task. In Mark 9, the father of a demon-possessed child says to Jesus: “I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief.” Maybe that is out prayer as well.
How about that angel of your worth? Over our lives, the angel of our worth has emerged; our talent, our character, our compassion, our gentleness, and we are on the way to becoming the one that God intended us to be – Spirit led. What more can we say? Of course, thank you, Jesus, my Lord and Savior. Amen.
A Morning Prayer:
Almighty God, you fill all things with your presence. In your great love, keep us near you this day. Grant that in all our ways and doings we may remember that you see us, and grant us the grace to ease through rough patches life brings. May we always know what things you would have us do, and give us strength to do them; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
