Use What the Good Lord Gave You

Full disclosure:  This is not the post I had originally planned to share this week.  I guess there is a reason the other post didn’t sound exactly right?  But the title of this is “use what the good Lord gave you” and I had to use the post I felt Him pushing on my heart. 

Over the weekend, one of my favorite visiting preacher’s stopped by to preach for us.  I’d be lying if I said this particular preacher wasn’t in my Top Five Favorites.  Okay, fine.  Top Three.

Both messages that he preached to us have given me a lot of food for thought.  It seems no matter who is up preaching, two reoccurring themes we’ve been hearing lately are “Use the talents the Lord gave to you for Him” and “Get ready!  We’re fighting for revival!”

The original post was going to discuss how the church and each individual needs to be ready to take back what belongs to God.  I had the majority of the post written and ready to go, but I had this strange inkling I needed to hold off on posting that one.  Maybe you need to read this one instead?  I truly don’t know the reason.

You’ve got talent

Instead, I want to tell you, friend, about the first part of the message: using what you’ve got.

Now, show of hands, how many of us wish the Lord had blessed us with a talent that seems more useful to the ministry?

I know of at least one hand up.  Mine.

There have been a few times where I had seriously prayed the Lord would bless my fingers with some talent.  Y’all, what I had in mind was some type of musical talent.  I’ve been told I’ve got “piano fingers”, but for some reason, mine just don’t seem to move the way piano fingers should.

Did the Lord answer my prayers?  Yes.  Did I get some amazing musical talent?  Ha, ha. That’s a big, ol’ no.

Now, friend, please don’t take this the wrong way.  I am not bragging in any way, shape, or form.  Simply trying to explain a little something.

Maybe even talents you didn’t know you had

It’s true.  I’m lacking talent in the musical department.  But the Good Lord did bless my fingers in other ways.  He gave me the ability to knit and sew costumes for Bible skits and puppet clothes (honesty hour, my sewing skills aren’t that great… but, they’re there).  These fingers are somewhat crafty (although, I can’t cut a straight line with scissors to save my life) and I’m able to help prepare crafts that go along with whatever Bible story the kids are learning at the time in Mom’s Sunday School class.  It might not sound like much to some, but I have to believe the talent bestowed upon my fingers help plant a seed in a child’s heart one construction paper craft at a time.   

And, friend, He gave me the ability to write and share the Good News with you.  I don’t claim to be very good at writing.  And I haven’t the slightest clue if any of these posts help anyone out in Internet Land… But, I was lead to write these posts and given the ability to do so.  I’d be burying my talents in the ground like the man with one single talent (albeit, the scriptures refer to money) in Matthew 25 if I didn’t try to use my talents for Him.

Use what the good Lord gave you, Friend

What are your talents, friend?  Maybe your’s don’t look like mine.  Maybe you were blessed with the gift of gab and can talk (and share your testimony) with anyone who will listen, strangers and all.  Or you might have a voice like an angel that can sing about the Lord and melt a cold heart with your blessed melodies.  Or maybe you were blessed with executive chef level cooking skills and that bowl of spaghetti you delivered to your sick neighbor strengthened their body and their soul.

We were not all cut from the same mold.  The Lord blessed each of us with all sorts of different talents and it’s our job to figure out how to best use those talents for Him.  We are called to be the hands and feet of Christ.  That means we all need to use our talents (and sometimes combine our talents with other’s talents) to work and help add precious souls to the Kingdom.

Are you being a good steward of your gifts and abilities?