Leave it to a funeral to prompt us to take time to reflect on where we've come from, where we are now and what the future offers? Such was the case this past week when I traveled to Albert Lea, Minnesota to pay my respects to one of the fine gentlemen of this earth, Davis Gilbertson.
Dave, as I called him, was the first to accept me into the Albert Lea Tiger community after taking the Sports Editor position at the “Tribune.” “We finally have someone here who covers our sports teams”, he said many, many years ago. “All anybody ever did in that position before you came was sit on their behind and cover state and national stuff. Hardly any attention was given to our local sports teams.” Those comments made me feel good. It gave me a feeling that my skills were being read and also appreciated.
I must say, there were many memories driving in and then back out of that southern Minnesota town. This was where my writing career began. So much of what I am now started there. And so much of it, I owe to Dave.
I must say, there were many memories driving in and then back out of that southern Minnesota town. This was where my writing career began. So much of what I am now started there. And so much of it, I owe to Dave.
Listening to the many tributes paid to Dave during the service, I was struck by the amount of serving he’d done. It was a total commitment on he and his wife Julie’s part. They served in the community and at their church. How many of us can say that in today’s world? I must admit, I’ve done a whole bunch of serving over the years, but lately, I’ve fallen off the wagon. I’m seeing a challenge on the horizon. The funeral and the whole reflection thing has a lot to do with that.
As I’ve mentioned in posts over the past couple of weeks, I think Jesus will be returning to us very soon. So given that fact and the above mention of serving, it might be a good time to assess or in some cases, reassess, your gifts.
First, you might need to realize what that gift is. If you don’t know for sure what your gift/gifts are, here is the rundown and description courtesy of “All About”….
1. The gift of wisdom seems to be the ability to make decisions and give guidance that is according to God's will.
2. The gift of knowledge is the ability to have an in-depth understanding of a spiritual issue or situation.
3. The gift of faith is being able to trust God and encourage others to trust God no matter the circumstances.
4. The gift of healing is the miraculous ability to use God's healing power to restore a person who is sick, injured or suffering.
5. The gift of miracles is being able to perform signs and wonders that give authenticity to God's Word and the Gospel message.
6. The gift of prophecy is being able to proclaim a message from God.
7. The gift of discerning spirits is the ability to determine whether or not a message, person or event is truly from God.
8. The gift of tongues is the ability to speak in a foreign language that you do not have knowledge of, in order to communicate with someone who speaks that language.
9. The gift of interpreting tongues is the ability to translate the tongues speaking and communicate it back to others in your own language.
10.The gift of administration is being able to keep things organized and in accordance with God's principles.
11.The gift of helps is always having the desire and ability to help others, to do whatever it takes to get a task accomplished.
There is no magic formula or spiritual gifts test that can tell you what gifts of the Spirit you possess. Information on the subject can direct you down a path to a decision, but what you really need to focus on is serving God. Here might be another source of help courtesy of Romans 12:3 6-8
"By the grace given to me I bid every one among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith which God has assigned him...having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving. he who teaches, in his teaching; he who exhorts in his exhortation; he who contributes, in his liberality; he who gives aid, in zeal; he who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness."
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YGG,
John
There is no magic formula or spiritual gift test that can tell you
what gifts of the Spirit you possess. It
can help lead you down a path to a decision, but what you need to focus on is serving
God. Here might be another source of
help, courtesy of Romans 12:3 6-8
“By the grace given to me I bid every one among
you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think
with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith which God has
assigned him . . Having gifts that
differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in
proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; he who teaches, in his
teaching; he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who contributes, in liberality, he who gives aid, with zeal; he who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness."
The time is drawing near. Dave’s funeral brought these thoughts right
to my forefront. It’s time to get ready,
not only for myself and yourself, but also helping those you love, see what’s coming sometime very, very so
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