Greetings

Just this morning, I saw a small window of blue sky in the otherwise dreary grey overcast, a promise of the bright sun-lit day to come. God is always giving us signs of His love and faithfulness to us.......if we are looking. That is what this blog is all about. Are we looking? And what did we see, hear, smell, or feel that our loving Creator put in our path? Why does He do that? Do we really want to connect that close with His affection for us? So many questions. Let's exhange some of them, and share our own sightings!

Monday, April 13, 2015

Giftings

     I've been thinking of gifts lately...not new jewelry, or a new jacket, or even a gift card. For instance, at my watercolor class, Saturday, I gave two students the same subject to paint... a beautiful hot pink hibiscus blossom.  I gave them step-by-step instructions and watched their progress.  It was not long before I realized that each would create a totally different painting.  However, each painting was beautiful...the kind that makes a teacher speak out, "Oh, I'm so proud of you both. These are each so gorgeous!" 
     Both students have a lot of artistic talent,  but both have very different personalities.  One is very careful, disciplined, and conscientious.  The other student is much more a free spirit.  And these characteristics were so obvious in their paintings.  The instructions and subject were the same, but the painter was true to who she is.
     Later, when I settled down after dinner, I tuned into a PBS Masterpiece Classic, Mark Morris Dance Group. It was not a traditional ballet. The costumes' woodsy color scheme was soft and muted and very pleasing to the eye, fitting the choreographer's conception of  the story of mankind.     
     The 30 or so dancers sometimes moved together and in unison, sometimes in groups, large and small, mirroring another group, and sometime a lone dancer told a story for a few moments.  The choreography was so ingenious and captivating that even though I wasn't sure about the story, I loved watching the movement of the incredibly talented dancers.
     And, if you're still with me, I want to share with you the revelation about gifts that I received as I watched ....spiritual gifts, that is. 
     First of all, our Creator designed us all to be unique and beautiful in His eyes. You need only to look around you to verify that.  However, we learn in the New Testament that the Holy Spirit also has gifts...spiritual gifts... for us as believers. And that's where my two artistic events on Saturday come in. 
      They showed me how, just as a good instructor or director or choreographer leads and guides the many talents of his artists or dancers to portray the vision of the composer or creator, the  Lord takes us each, equips us with unique giftings that will express His eternal plans. He allows our individual gifts  and talents  to express themselves through the uniqueness of who we are. The Holy Spirit is the director, carefully guiding us to fulfill the Master's plans.
     And that is what means so much to me.  I can be His bride....unique in who I am and in my gifts, and still, with the help of the Holy Spirit, I am His Bride...the corporate Body of Christ.  The dancers all have the same music, the same picture to present to the audience, but each must carefully follow the director in order to complete accurately the vision of the composer/choreographer.
      Whether our gift is teaching, serving, healing, hospitality, administration, leadership, or any one of a number of others, we must yield to the guidance of the Lord and His Spirit to learn how to use these gifts.  He wants to use them through our personality, our abilities, and our unique personage, making us each His "special one".  However, at the same time, He fits our uniqueness into the totality of His plan for His Creation... His eternal ballet.
     It will be a wonder to behold when we get to heaven and see the whole picture.  I can't wait!

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