Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. –1 Corinthians 2:12

“Serving God and others-what a heavy load, an awesome responsibility. Maybe it helps to remember that we have gifts to help with the serving-gifts given to us, in this case, by God. We can experience deep joy in using our gifts. But that would be only half the story if we didn’t help others and enrich their lives. Serving God and others through our gifts is an adventure.” Laurie Hanson. The Funny Shape of Faith: Devotions for the Rest of Us (Kindle Edition.)

Serving Others – A New Wrinkle That is Truly Unique

We can experience a lot of joy and peace when we share with others out of our abundance – but too many people see their lives as a place of “lack”, not as a place of abundance. Let’s break this down just a bit.

Imagine your life without the most important people who have impacted your living? Think of parents, grandparents, teachers, coaches, mentors, siblings, aunts and uncles. Now think of the places where you lived – broken down, castle-like, sprawling and miniature places that formed your place in this large world. You may think to yourself: “I don’t have much”. And that might be true. You may have a limited amount of stuff and a pinched bank account. But you also have all of the experiences, the lessons, the love, the loss, the successes, the failures that also form the person you are today. Each experience, each failure, each accomplishment, each loss and each discovery is a gift – not just to you, but potentially to someone else.

Laurie Hanson writes: “We can experience deep joy in using our gifts. But that would be only half the story if we didn’t help others and enrich their lives. Serving God and others through our gifts is an adventure.”

What will it take for you to see your life as a place of abundance and not as a place of lacking?

Let us pray,

Lord of life, thank you for my gifts; all of my experiences and accomplishments — the good and the bad, the happy and sad. They are many-both those I have discovered and those I have yet to tap. Help me to honor you by growing these gifts and using them to help others in exciting, liberating ways. Amen.

Pastor Dave

“And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.” Matthew 3:16

“To be submerged under water is a threatening thing for those of us who are afraid of it … or can’t swim. But at his baptism, Jesus foreshadows his own resurrection by going under and rising up again. Then the Spirit of God descends. If we were to choose a bird that powerful, it might be a swift predator-a hawk or a condor. But instead, God’s Spirit comes down “like a dove.” It’s not hard to imagine that Spirit saying something to the effect of, “Relax, I’m a bird of pray.” Laurie Hanson. The Funny Shape of Faith: Devotions for the Rest of Us (Kindle Edition.)

Bird Meets World

Back in the 1990’s ABC television came out with a show called “Boy Meets World” starring Ben Savage and Danielle Fishel. It was a coming-of-age sitcom about two young kids, Cory and Topanga. Then in 2014 the Disney Channel did a remake of the show calling it “Girl Meets World, again starring Ben Savage and Danielle Fishel, but also staring Rowand Blanchard and Sabrina Carpenter. This was a coming-of-age story for Cory and Topanga’s daughter, Riley and her “troubled” friend Maya. Both were feel-good stories of the struggles of life and living.

When the Dove descended upon Jesus following his baptism, it was a “Bird Meets World” moment. It was the beginning of the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of Jesus and in the life of the Christian Church. Nothing would ever be the same. Jesus would be driven into the wilderness to be tested and tempted by the Devil, just like Cory and Topanga, Riley and Maya were tested and tempted by life. Some might say that you cannot compare real life to a television show – especially the life of Jesus. I would disagree. We often see how life imitates art, and how art imitates life. And the stories of people in the Bible often read like a novella – how they are preyed upon by sin and temptation. What gives us comfort is the giving of the Holy Spirit in the form of a Dove – the image of gentleness.

I agree with Laurie Hanson: “Then the Spirit of God descends. If we were to choose a bird that powerful, it might be a swift predator-a hawk or a condor. But instead, God’s Spirit comes down “like a dove.” It’s not hard to imagine that Spirit saying something to the effect of, “Relax, I’m a bird of pray.”

Let us pray,

God of prayer, sometimes I see myself as a bird-very small, very frail and afraid. I often feel preyed upon by life and the devil. Yet you love me and call me your own. Let your love shine through me. Amen.

Pastor Dave