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Romans 12:6a – We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. (NIV 2011)
But then, today, who is not?
At ninety degrees, God sends a breeze.
I knew He would, 'cause He's so good.
He answers me before I call,
And sends His breeze for one and all.
What I have just written is called "doggerel", defined in the Oxford Dictionary as "halting, irregular verse", but it explains precisely how I was feeling at the time.
I often revert to doggerel as I'm driving along in my car praising the Lord. Even before I realize it, I find that I am putting rhyming verses together and singing them to the tune of a familiar hymn.
I have written several books, poems, and devotionals to praise and honour our Lord — some more effective than others, of course. But on some occasions, I find that I can express myself more clearly by reverting to doggerel, and I believe that the Lord accepts that as part of the gift of writing that He has given me. Quite often, He has used doggerel to trigger thoughts that will eventually lead into my next devotional.
Here is what the Lord says about using the gifts that He has given to us:
1 Peter 4:10 – Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. (NIV 2011)
Sometimes, I hear people say that they don't think that they have any gifts, whether out of genuine sincerity or false humility. However, the Scripture tells us that God has gifted every person, and He will show us our gifts if we ask Him with the intention of using them in the way that He directs.
1 Corinthians 7:7b – But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. (NIV 2011)
So, in closing, I ask these questions:
- Do you know what your gifts are?
- Are you using them to serve others and glorify God?
- If you really do not know, are you willing to discover them?
If so, then simply ask the Lord to show them to you, and then turn them over to Him for His use, through your service.
Prayer: Dear Lord, we have so much to learn about living our lives for You in such a manner that everything we think, say, or do is done to honour You and to develop a closer walk with You. You shower blessings upon us daily, and You grant us gifts to carry out Your work in our world. May we be willing to acknowledge and use our gifts, even if at times this may inconvenience us, or go against our own plans. We come humbly as Your children, and trust You to teach us every day to live more nearly as we pray. This we ask in Jesus' name. Amen.
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Thanks for sharing Sharon.
Use your gifts to serve God.
Thanks for this truth, blessings.
We loved today’s offering from you and sparky.
AMEN to that. Hope you are well – as you can be, of course. Be blessed, Sharon.
Thank you for your devotional this morning and reminding me to use the gift of writing that I have been neglecting. There are no excuses.
Wonderful devotional. When we are “plugged into” the Holy Spirit, we not only have gifts to use for his glory, but we are empowered by the Spirit.
Blessings.
Hi
Very good devotion and so true. I also will sing in the car with words that rhyme and I too have written a book, He Heard Me, and it has poems in it that go along with chapter or just poems I felt would inspire or speak to the reader. Amazing!!!!
This was a lovely devotional particularly as we get back to our church activities in September. So many of our group members wait for others to take the lead — everyone has a gift that they can share. As a group leader, I found your devotional very encouraging and I loved your prayer. Blessings.
Dear Sharon,
Thank you for your sanctified doggerel, and for your pointed, sincere thoughts re – everything we do needing to be for the glory of our Maker and Savior, and needing to serve others in extending God’s grace. (What a sentence!)
Keep writing.
Thanks Sharon for sharing your gifts with us today. The first thought in my mind was “Praise the Lord for Sharon.” The second was thank God she’s listening and writing for Him. The next thought is for those who think they’ve no gifts whatsoever are a couple of questions, “Can you make a great cup of coffee or tea? Does your church need someone to make coffee at the fellowship hour before or after church? Wouldn’t that be a wonderful way to use your culinary skills for the Lord?” I think so, too.
Hi Sharon,
You have an incredible gift. No doubt you can sing up a storm too!
Celebrating your God-given gifts with you.
Thanks for the devotional too!