Author Ann Voskamp (One Thousand Gifts) writes a daily blog entitled “A Holy Experience”. In her blog posted 04/17/13, Ann shares insights from her friend Priscilla on lessons we can learn about our gifts from reading the story of Gideon in Judges Chapter 6.
After the angel of the Lord tells Gideon that he will strike down the Midianites and be with him, Gideon asks the angel of the Lord to wait while he prepares a delicious meal of Hebrew food. Yet, after Gideon painstakingly makes the meal from scratch, the angel of the Lord tells him to place the meal on a rock and pour the broth over it. Immediately fire flares from the rock, consuming the meal.
Priscilla then notes 4 aspects of Gideon’s gifts that are applicable to our lives:
1. Just as God card about Gideon’s gifts, He cares about our time, talents, and passions.
2. God wants to receive our gifts if we’re willing to take the time, effort, and energy to prepare them.
3. Our prepared gifts serve their purpose only if they are presented gifts. If we hide our gifts, they are useless and untapped.
4. Just as the angel told Gideon to release his carefully prepared meal, “the best use of our gifts is never what we imagined”.
Despite our ministry downsizing or career loss, Priscilla reminds us that God can and will use our gifts as long as we’re faithful to:
Prepare them. Present them. Put them down. Pour them out.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Joy-in-a box”, inspired by an Ann Voskamp blog.
Note: Thursday through Sunday I’ll be in sunny Florida. There will be no lapse in my daily blogging. Posts should appear on the web site around 4 PM Central time. I will attempt to FB, Tweet, and LinkedIn those posts from a remote computer as well. Blessings to you-Dave.
