I began last Sunday in a spirit of worship. Yeah, yeah. That happens to me sometimes, but it was different. The moment I opened my eyes I felt a deep need to examine the Psalms.
Lately, I have been posting morning prayers online, and Sunday’s prayer was actually several Psalms slightly redacted to fit the form of a prayer, and the message was clearly one of worship and adoration! That attitude continued as I drove to church and the moment I
entered the Sanctuary, I was consumed with the actual heart of worship.
During the service, I was lead to go pray for several people and I felt as though I was wrapped in a cloud of Holiness. I cannot explain it, nor have I ever experienced it before.
During this, I kept hearing Proverbs 18:16 continue to reverberate in my spirit:
A man’s gift makes room for him . . . (Proverbs 18:16a)
What in the heck did that mean? Was it something the Holy Spirit was trying to tell
me, or was it something I needed to share with somebody I was praying for? Normally, I know immediately, but not that time. Then it hit me: Our gift will make room for us, but
we must make room for our gift! In other words, we need to prepare for our Lord to use the gift(s) we have.
Sometimes when we start wondering about our
gift(s), our eyes glaze over and we begin to stare quizzically into space: “
Hmm, what is my gift . . .?” We get real spiritual and begin to see ourselves wearing a hooded robe and wandering the lanes of an Abby, thinking that some special anointing to perform miraculous works is our gift. Um maybe, but I feel it is really much simpler than that.
Let me give some explanation how this might look. In our church, we have some very gifted individuals. One brother can fix just about anything you need repair. If you need your car repaired, you call him. Do you need some plumbing done, he will help. One time, someone had a fountain in their front yard which stopped working. He looked at it and in a few moments, it was spouting out the water again. But is just the way he is
One sister is the first one who will welcome someone. She will make sure they are taken care of and that their needs are met. She loves the role of being a hostess. Another brother I know will be the first to pull someone aside and hand them some cash, when he hears about a need.
The point is, your “gift” is who you are. Me? As you know, I love to teach and to pray. If an opportunity arises, I will teach or pray. No, I don’t minister in churches anymore. In 1985, when we moved to Ann Arbor, I was a “nobody,” and no one invited to preach or teach anywhere, and yes, it took me some time to get used to that, but now, I share messages in these emails and online.
But there is more to it than that. The most obvious character trait you find about me, is that I love to encourage people. In the grocery store, I will go out of my way to help someone. If they seem to be having a difficult time finding something, I will help them look, especially if I am familiar with the store. When I see something on the floor, I pick it up so no one will slip on it.
I know the hassle cashiers have to endure, so I smile and chat with them. Sometimes, when I see someone who appears distraught and haggard, I will allow them to cut in front of me (but not if someone is behind me. They wouldn’t appreciate that). I am a sucker for little kids. Of course I will ask the parent first, but I will buy them a sucker or give them some change to ride “Sandy,” (the “rocking” horse) in the front of the store.
When a friend of mine lost his father, and everyone was arriving at their home for a small gathering, I began to take care of their coats. It’s just the way I am.
My wife has an amazing insight into people and is often able to speak to their particular problem with great sensitivity. Being a nurse, her heart naturally goes out to caring for people. Nursing isn’t something I can relate to, but that’s the way she is.
One of my wife’s sisters is a professional massage therapist, and many times I have seen her move smoothly and naturally to help people. That’s just the way she is.
If my mother is walking through a store, for instance, and notices someone who needs a hug or a gentle hand to hold, she will stop what she is doing to comfort them. That’s the way she is.
Let’s say you are driving and suddenly see a funeral motorcade, do you groan and moan? Or are you moved to pray for those who lost someone? I can’t imagine a more significant time for someone to need grace and comfort. I began doing that years ago, and I believe the Lord appreciates it.
During a traffic jam, where everyone is at a dead stop, with no sign of cause. It could be a serious accident. Could whoever was in the accident, need prayer? I bet they do, so rather than complaining, pray for them.
These are simple examples of “gifts.” Are they being exercise continually? Nope. But when the need arises, we need to exercise those gifts. But here is the thing. As one man said, “When you have a sense of calling, whether it’s to be a musician, soloist, artist, in one of the technical fields, or a plumber, there is something deep and enriching when you realize it isn’t just a casual choice, it is a divine calling.” As I said, we need to prepare ourselves for the Lord putting our “gifts,” our character traits, to use, we must be willing to yield to the Spirit of God as He continues His work of rooting out issues that are holding us back from our desires. To continue His work, we need to continue our fellowship with our Father.
We need to draw closer to Him, talk to Him throughout the day. Yes, our gifts will make room for us, but we have to make room for our gift. The bottom line is that since we chose to be disciples of Christ and living a life empowered by the Spirit, we need to make sure we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but instead work out its implications in every detail of our lives (Galatians 5:25).
Father, we thank you so much for the gifts you have given us, as well as the plans you have for us to use those gifts. Please help us prepare to in your will. Help us remove from our lives anything what will occupy our time and distract us from following you
Nickolas
(I send out messages like this each morning in emails, and if you are interested in receiving them, send me your email address and I will add you to the list: Mail List)
With these Morning Messages, I take you on guided tours to, as Bunyan described, the Celestial City. At times we linger at corners familiar and unseen. And explore the depths of our faith along the way.
The trail is long, but there’s no hurry. Though we do need to stock up on supplies for the way, and that’s where I need your help. If you enjoy these messages, please consider becoming a contributing member of this tour group. It will be very much appreciated.
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