Here I am Lord, use me.


Each year Neiman Marcus puts out a Christmas catalog containing a little something for everyone like A Week at Three English Estates Experience for $700,000, a private Slumber Party at the Neiman Marcus Flagship Store for $120,000 and a fancy Cobalt Valkyrie-X Private Plane embossed in rose gold. The plane is a mere $1.5 million so I'm thinking about picking it up for my son as a stocking stuffer.

Most folks enjoy receiving gifts, and although the catalog is a bit "over the top" we also like receiving good gifts. That should be true in our spiritual walks as well. The Bible teaches us that all of us receive gifts from the Spirit that we are to use to help build up our brothers and sisters in Christ. When it comes to these gifts Paul wrote these words to the church, 

"Now eagerly desire the greater gifts." 
I Corinthians 12:31.

Although we don't get to choose which gifts the Spirit gives us, it's ok to desire to be used in great ways. We might think that if we are super spiritual enough this will persuade the Spirit to give us the gifts we want. If I read enough Scripture, pray long enough, give generously, than surely I can tip the scale in my direction. Here's a great quote though that points out things don't necessarily work that way in the kingdom.

"I used to think that God's gifts were on shelves  one above the other and the taller we grew in Christian character, the more easily we should reach them. I find now that God's gifts are on shelves one beneath the other and that it is not a question of growing taller, but of stooping lower and that we have to go down, always down to get his best ones." F.B. Meyer.

The Scriptures teach us it is when we humble ourselves that God lifts us up. Let's use the ways we're gifted to glorify our Father and to build up the church. As we do God will continue to work in and through us in ways we couldn't have imagined. 

Following the Son,

James A Williams

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