Open Your Gift!

“Presents are made for the pleasure of who gives them, not the merits of who receives them.” (Carlos Ruiz Zafón). People spend a lot of time shopping for personalized gifts for their families and friends, especially at Christmas. When they are presented, most of the recipients seem to appreciate them. Whether or not they were appreciated, the givers were happy in giving them. But more often than you want to know, those gifts that you spent hours, even days, looking for wind up in a junk drawer or returned to the store in exchange for something else. They seemed to appreciate them, but not really.

That’s one of many human attributes that align with God’s attributes. God gives gifts for His pleasure, not based on your goodness or your desire for them. If you don’t believe it, think about the gifts He has given you. Have you used them? Are you happy with them? Have you even opened them up so that you know what they are?

People talk about trying to learn what their spiritual gifts are. They take assessments. They listen to others tell them what they see in them. They pray and fret and worry and live as though they don’t know. But how will you know if you never open the gift and put it to use? People think it’s hard, but that’s because they haven’t made the effort. Would it make sense for God to give you a gift to be used for His glory, then hide it from you? Not at all. The gifts are in you, probably in your “junk drawer”, and you can discover what they are, if you would just open them up and trust God to lead you in their use. 

God has given you these special gifts. Show your appreciation to Him by taking the next step and open them up. Then you should use them to the fullest. You must hone them and polish them as the precious possessions they are. Don’t worry about failing; that’s pride talking because you want others to think that you have it all together. You cannot attain anything without taking some risks. It is an honor that God loves you enough to place His Spirit within you and give you these awesome gifts. Be grateful for them. Show Him your gratitude by making full use of what He has given you. Though they are useful for your edification, they are primarily for His glory.  He wouldn’t set you up to fail. If you don’t get it right the first (or second or third time), don’t give up. Experience is the best teacher.

It’s a new year and there are many opportunities for you to use your gifts here at Eastern Star. Get involved. Open your gifts!

7: But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

8: Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.”

11: And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,

12: for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 

(Ephesians 4)

17: Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

18: Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

(James 1)

In the power of His glory, be blessed!