God Waits in the Joy
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Ephesians 4:11-16
11. And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12. to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13. until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ; 14. so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the cunning of men, by their craftiness in deceitful wiles. 15. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16. from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love.
God, in his infinite wisdom and divine plan, has gifted each of us with particular qualities, skills, abilities and temperaments. Within and among each faith community, we will find individuals specifically and divinely gifted. The gathering of these individuals is not an accident. The next person who walks in the front door of a church could be the one person who has those gifts and abilities to complete the puzzle. God brings together exactly the proper combination of people at exactly the right time to build up the whole body.
The task-oriented list here is based on some of the spiritual gifts identified in the gospels. Some lists have ten or twelve spiritual gifts while others have as many as twenty. What matters is not what gift each of us has, but rather that we recognize and use it for the good of the whole. The community must also recognize, acknowledge and affirm the giftedness of each of the members as well. In this way, each person will have all they need to be part of the whole. And the whole community will be served in all ways.
Isn’t God amazing?! So often, though, we allow our humanity to get in the way of God’s plan. Not just in relation to spiritual gifts and faith communities but in all situations and settings. Sometimes we allow our own giftedness to make us feel we should be elevated to some special status or are due a higher level of respect and recognition than others. Perhaps, as in my case, you have the spiritual gift of servanthood. Not too exciting on the surface, is it? Having said that, I am the most joyous and feel the most fulfilled and “useful” when I am in that role. Regardless of the circumstances, I was born to be a servant.
All this ties back to that circle of life I discussed recently. Without the servants, none of the dishes would be washed, laundry done, chairs moved or tables wiped off. It goes even deeper than that, though. Without professions involving service to individuals and society in so many capacities, the world would come to a screeching halt! Think about your life and those who serve you – what would you do without them? How would you function? I really felt kind of disappointed to discover I had such an “unexciting” spiritual gift initially. I can remember thinking, “It figures . . . I would get one of those spiritual gifts.”
I now realize and am beginning to comprehend some of the journey I have taken toward the Cross. The message God has been trying to give me is “It’s not about you, Mary.” Of course, if you ask anyone who knows me, they will tell you this is a struggle for me. I
know it’s not about me. But I
want it to be! And don’t we all. Lately though, I have been yielding more and more of myself. I’ve been trying to let God be in charge of my life. He’s taken this servant’s heart to places I never imagined I would go! He has taught me the difference between affirmation and approval. I am also beginning to grasp the difference between importance and significance. I am learning that service can also mean sitting with a friend who needs an understanding ear, or dropping everything to sit with a child while the parents take another one to the hospital. I do these things naturally. Now I realize they are in line with my servant’s heart.
I guess that’s the message I want to share, if nothing else. You have significance because of whose and what you are. God made you intentionally—on purpose. He values every cell of your body, every thought of your mind, and knows every longing of your heart. Look for what gives you joy. That’s where God is waiting for you.
My prayer today is that you recognize your significance and value. And that you serve the world using your special and unique gifts from God.
Mary
