Thankful Thursday

Being in community with the Body of Christ avails us to much more than we could ever imagine or ask for. The revelation of GOD through worship, study, fellowship … learning and growing as we come together as family. And if that doesn’t send you running up a mountain with a joyful ‘hallelujah,’ consider the gifts and talents that are given to you so that GOD can move in and through you.

Gifts! Yes, like it’s your birthday and Christmas everyday! Only, it’s from the Holy Spirit and it’s designed to glorify the Giver and meant to bless the recipient-giver (that’s you and me) by being used to serve another.

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 1 Peter 4:10. New Living Translation

We should be actively seeking to hone our gifts by raising them up to the Lord Who gave them to us and giving Him the Glory. It is He Who works them out to perfection in us and through us. Ever minister to someone and suddenly you’re saying things that you had not planned or could not have ‘scripted’ in advance? That’s the Holy Spirit giving you the utterance to use your gift to build up another person.

and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills– Exodus 31:3. New International Version

Some of you have the incredible gift of hospitality. Seeking ways to prepare meals, run errands, open up personal resources to provide for a need. There are those with indescribable talent for music and poetry that are put to use in worship and praise. The ones with the power of the pen to help someone rewrite her day so that she can close her eyes in peace and look forward to a hopeful tomorrow. Those with tender insight to be able to see where a sister needs guidance and to love her in that direction.

With the advancement of technology, there is the power of connectivity. And with that, there are members of the Body of Christ that can transcend the airwaves and cyberspace with the dunamis power of the Holy Spirit resulting in exponential blessings on a global level.

On this day, I am thankful that the Lord of Hosts is the bestower of all spiritual gifts — that He alone determines who gets what and the measure of such. If left up to our own discriminate choosing, I believe we would sorely err on the part of not asking for the appropriate one and certainly not be willing to endure the ‘preparation’ necessary to receive enough of it.

There are different spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit gives them. 1 Corinthians 12:4. GOD’s Word Translation

Have you considered your gifts, Sweet Friend? Are you keenly aware of what they are?

Take some time right now to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal them to you. Be ready to write them down. Be ready to listen over the course of days to come — He may just take His time so that you can have more conversation with Him.