This week’s devotions are based on Sunday’s Message: I Love my church…Love in Service (WATCH HERE).
Why use our gifts?
Every gift that we receive has an intention from the giver that the gift be used. I get that sometimes we receive gifts and are not sure how to use them. Other gifts we let sit on a shelf and never get used. Spiritual gifts are given to us to be used. Like a superhero who doesn’t use his superpowers, is a Christian who doesn’t use the gifts the Spirit has given. A superhero uses the powers he has to right a wrong in the community in which they live. So it is for God’s people. The Spirit of God gives us gifts to use for the needs of the community in which we live.
Jesus saw the need and prayed for people to use their gifts to reach these communities.
Matthew 9:35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
If Jesus is praying for something it is a need.
What Jesus sees is people who need him, need his love and grace.
What Jesus sees is people who are wandering through life with out any spiritual guidance, protection or peace. He wants the people to experience what he has to give, but he cannot get to them all.
So he prays for more workers.
The very next verse indicates the answer to his prayer:
Matthew 10:1 He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
The disciples closest to him were the answer to his prayers. To these disciples he gave special gifts that they would need to carry out the ministry trip on which he was sending them.
Do you suppose the prayer and the answer are similar today?
Do you see what Jesus sees? Do you see people around you without any spiritual guidance, protection or peace? Do you see people in need of Jesus’ love and grace?
Do you hear Jesus pray, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” Do we ask the Father to “send out workers into his harvest field”?
We do.
But do we expect to be the answer to Jesus prayer?
Not always.
But we should.
Just like Jesus calls his followers to be the answer to his prayer, so he calls us to be the answer to his prayer. He has called us to follow him in faith and his Spirit has given us gifts to use to bring people to Jesus.
Our family needs us because they need Jesus.
Our community needs us because they need Jesus.
Our country needs us because they need Jesus.
So out of love for Jesus and out of love for the people he came to save, we serve to the best of our ability with the gifts God’s Spirit has given us to bring Jesus to the hearts of people who desperately need him.
Apply: What opportunities has God given you to use your gifts to serve him?
Prayer: Lord Jesus thank you for calling me off the comfort of my couch to be active in serving you. Thank you for equipping me for what you have called me to do and the privilege to be part of your kingdom work.