Our Best Gift

Being in ministry and constantly looking for ways to strengthen our international ministry (www.heartofgodinternational.com), the topic of giving comes up often. I was just thinking about the ways we give and how people (including me) most often associate giving with finances. But, isn't it true that giving means giving of ourselves, our gifts, our talents ... anything and everything we have to offer?

Last Thursday night in our Bible Study we took at brief look at the beginning of Psalm 103. It was incredible what we learned from the very first verse and it has EVERYTHING to do with giving -- giving of ourselves. In fact, all it took was the very first verse and we left there amazed ... let me share briefly:

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name."

Can you see our best gift in that verse? It's contained in the phrase "all that is within me".

Sir R. Baker put it well, speaking to his own soul:

"To bless the Lord is an eminent work, and requires not only many but very able agents to perform it; and therefore, my soul, when thou goest about it, go not alone; but, take with thee all the forces in my whole being, whether it be my heart, or my spirit; whether my will, or my affections; whether my understanding, or my memory; take them all with thee, and bless the Lord."

In other words, everything we are, everything that makes us 'us' is to be offered to the Lord as a blessing -- a sacrifice, an offering. No matter what we have or who we are, our God deserves our best gift ... our ENTIRE being.

How does this fit with missions or ministry? Easy! Whatever gifts you have, whoever you are, all your talents, all your influence, all your anointing, your thoughts, your prayers, your efforts, your undertakings ... they've all been given to you to offer back to God as a sacrifice--as a means of blessing the Lord for His great gift of salvation.

We are all missionaries and all have the ability to reach out to others with the gifts and abilities He's given us. To withhold a gift is to withhold blessing from the Lord.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and ALL THAT IS WITHIN ME, bless His holy name!

Consider that verse the next time you're in the grocery and feel like someone needs a word of encouragement ... ALL THAT IS WITHIN ME must reach out to embrace that one.

Consider that verse the next time you're standing in line at the bank and someone appears discouraged ... ALL THAT IS WITHIN ME must reach out to bring encouragement.

Consider that verse the next time you're reminded of children in Africa and Asia who are so desperately needy ... ALL THAT IS WITHIN ME can reach out through prayer, through supporting a missionary, through writing an article to bring awareness to others, through sharing your heart with your Sunday School group and praying together. Any number of ways you can use your gifts for the glory of God.

Today, think about how ALL THAT IS WITHIN ME can bless the Lord. I challenge you to think of ways to use all who you are and all who you ever hope to be to bring blessing to the Lord by giving of yourself to Him.

© 2008 Jan Ross
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