Gifts

...the spiritual gift that is in you...

"Do not neglect the spiritual gift that is in you..." (I Timothy 4:14)

"Mudsicles" - that's what I call them.  Minerals and mud are gathered as the water trickles down the rocky face, only to be trapped in mid air by the sudden drop of temperature.  Minerals and mud, dangling from the edge, waiting to be released with the next thaw. 

I spotted these mudsicles on the way home from the funeral of a gentleman who briefly had been my pastor while I was in college.  He arrived at our church while I was away at college so I barely knew him.  One Sunday when I was home from school I attended church with my family.  I was in my junior year as a biology major in school, with a plan to finish and head to medical school.  When I shook hands with the pastor at the back of the church I told him that his sermon about "gifts" struck a chord with me because I felt that I had gifts God was calling me to use as a physician.  The pastor looked straight at me and said, "God is telling me that you are being called into ministry."  Shocked, and somewhat taken aback, I replied, "Gee, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that you and God have a wrong number."  I left and put the whole incident out of my mind.  It was only a few months later that God made a direct call to me, summoning me to ordained ministry, and sending me to seminary instead of medical school. 

That pastor saw gifts locked inside of me that God was waiting to release before I ever saw them for myself.   The Apostle Paul reminds us of spiritual gifts we are given that are waiting to be released and used for the service of Christ.  As we anticipate the celebration of the birth of the Christ Child and the gift of God's never-failing love released through him, I pray that God will continue to remind me not to neglect the spiritual gifts God has placed in me for the work of God's Kingdom.    How about you?

Blessings and Peace,
Gary
Pastor, Sand Hill United Methodist Church
Boaz, West Virginia

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