Moved By Gifts - The One Year Salt and Light Devotional

Romans 1:10-15

I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. (Romans 1:11)

THE EARLY CHURCH HAD a strong sense of giftedness—being equipped with a special ability given by God through the Spirit. Paul seemed to assume that gifts could be imparted to and received from others, though he did not clarify how. He implies, however, that they were meant to be shared for the benefit of the entire body. The same can be said of our natural gifts, talents, and creativity; they are designed for mutual benefit. We can go a long way toward discovering our purpose and our areas of fruitfulness in this world by looking at the gifts God has given us.

Our passions tell us a lot about where we’re going in life, but our spiritual and natural gifts show us how we are going to get there. They are the tools God uses to meet the needs of his people and cause his body to grow. Whatever geographical area, church situation, and vocational field you are called to, your gifts will give you opportunities to serve the people around you. For many of those people, the expression of God’s nature coming through you will be one of the few encounters with him they have. They may not recognize the source of your giftedness, and they almost certainly won’t be able to explain what they experience of him through you. But something deep inside them will resonate with the Creator who is calling them to himself. Somehow they will be drawn closer.

Cultivate the gifts God has given you. Stir them up just as Paul encouraged Timothy to do (2 Timothy 1:6). Use them not only to serve the body of Christ but to bless people in other areas of your life. You may never be able to name those gifts precisely, and it’s probably best if you don’t even try to explain the process, but you’ll enjoy the fact that God is using you to reach hearts and minds. The Creator continues to create, often through his people. You are a vessel for him to impart his blessings to those who need him.

{Lord, I’m often much more focused on your gifts for me than on your gifts through me. Thank you for the privilege of being a vehicle of your nature. Please demonstrate your power through me. Amen.