Wednesday, December 10, 2014

12-10-2014



Good Morning All,
             1 Peter 4:10; “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:
     Many of us have done it.  It often occurs this time of year.  We still have a couple of gifts to get.  We aren’t real sure what to get them.  It might occur as we are putting away other gifts and we see it.  It is a gift that we received a few years back and has never been opened.  Do you give it?  Who did you get it from?  Is it acceptable to give a gift that you received?  Do you dare re-gift?
    It is a question that many ask but secretly do it anyway.  When a newlywed couple gets four blenders or six blankets or something that neither of them know what it is, what else can they do with it?  It is easy to do; just wrap it up and give to whomever you want.  It solves a lot of problems.  You don’t have to store it anymore; you don’t have to buy a new gift so you save some money and we can tell ourself that at least someone will get some use out of the present we never used.
   It will work fine; unless.  Unless we don’t look at the gift closely and make sure there isn’t a card or some other marking showing that it was a gift to us.  This becomes doubly true if we end up giving the gift back to the original giver.  That can be awkward but it can be very funny as well.
    Re-gifting may be a social faux pas to some but when it comes to our faith it should be our standard procedure.  God gives us many different gifts.  He gives us gift to use and to use with others.  He gives us these gifts that we might be of service to others.  It may be the gift of empathy or it may be the gift of wise counsel.  These are gifts which are always in need of being shared with those around us.  The gifts that God gives are best used when they are shared.  The gifts that God gives to us are to be re-gifted and re-gifted often.
    So take all the gifts that God gives you and use them.  Use them to bring glory to God and to be of service to your neighbor.  Just don’t always wait until December to do it.  Re-gift all year long.  Reach out to those around you who are in need.  Give them the gifts that God gives to you.  Don’t squander them or save them for some other day.  God gives us the gifts every day and desires that we give them to those round us.  We are to use these gifts to help expand the kingdom of heaven.  We are to use these gifts to bring about healing and comfort in a world that knows so little.  God empowers us to do so.
    So if you have been storing the gifts that God has given to you in a closet somewhere; bring them out and re-gift them.  If you haven’t used them in a while, take them down, dust them off and share with those you love.  It will build you up.
Gracious Father, you give us so many gifts.  Send your Spirit to us that we might be moved to share these gifts especially with those who are in desperate need of your mercy.  Guide us to them that they may know your peace.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.
God’s Peace,
Pastor Bret  

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