Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
July 18, 2024
Romans 12:1-8
1 So, brothers and sisters, because of God’s mercies, I encourage you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to God. This is your appropriate priestly service. 2 Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God’s will is—what is good and pleasing and mature. 3 Because of the grace that God gave me, I can say to each one of you: don’t think of yourself more highly than you ought to think. Instead, be reasonable since God has measured out a portion of faith to each one of you. 4 We have many parts in one body, but the parts don’t all have the same function. 5 In the same way, though there are many of us, we are one body in Christ, and individually we belong to each other. 6 We have different gifts that are consistent with God’s grace that has been given to us. If your gift is prophecy, you should prophesy in proportion to your faith. 7 If your gift is service, devote yourself to serving. If your gift is teaching, devote yourself to teaching. 8 If your gift is encouragement, devote yourself to encouraging. The one giving should do it with no strings attached. The leader should lead with passion. The one showing mercy should be cheerful.
Good Morning! Blessed be the name of the Lord!
All good gifts come from God!
When I think of gifts, I am happy. I like receiving gifts, but I like giving gifts even more. There is the anticipation of the receiver's reaction to the gift, but sometimes, this exchange does not go as expected.
Most of us have received a gift that baffled us. It was either not age-appropriate or was directed to someone with a particular interest, which we do not have. How do we react in this situation? It’s hard to convey genuine thankfulness in these moments, so an awkward, forced thank you emerges. Have you ever received a gift you had no idea what it was? Again, our manners kick in, and we say things like, “Oh, I’ve always wanted one of these!” or “I can’t wait to use this!” All the while, we’re thinking, “What in the world is this?”
God blesses each of us with gifts, and I think that sometimes we’re like that reluctant recipient described above because we have no idea what we’re supposed to do with this gift. Sometimes, we don’t even recognize our gift until a situation stimulates the need for it to emerge.
Think of those prophets that God called to relay his word. From historical accounts, they knew that being a prophet was great until God called upon them to share words that others, especially the leaders, didn’t want to hear. When God called them, do you think they reacted thankfully, or did they secretly whine, “But God . . ., I don’t want to be a prophet!”
What about us? Do we run from God’s calling, or do we embrace it? Do we question what use this gift is? Do we secretly think, “Thanks for nothing!?!”
We must never lose sight of the fact that God’s ways are not our ways! God does not randomly assign gifts to us without a well-devised plan and sees things we are not yet ready to see. In the bulb, there is a flower . . . unrevealed until its season, which God alone can see. I see God smiling and saying, be patient, my child; your gift has yet to be revealed.
Truthful God, Thank you for creating us. We are challenged by the things we don’t understand. Help us trust in your plan. Thank you for loving us. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: Embrace your gifts from God.
Let God use you! Pastor Liz
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