You Got Gifts

“‘But now bring me a musician.’ Then it happened, when the musician played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him.”  II Kings 3:15 NKJV

As I continue to mature, I become more aware of what I can do, and what I can’t do. For instance, I’ve always had a love for music and worked in that area in the church. But I have never been the most handy person in the world. That was evident this past weekend when my family and I served with our church’s construction team. Together we helped build a wheelchair ramp for a local family. I didn’t contribute much, but the project was a really fun, fulfilling experience. The family we were serving was very excited, as someone in the home had just been required to use a wheelchair and they had no way to get into the house. This was my first time working with this team, and I didn’t realize we had such talented carpenters in our church family.  I love how the team is using their God-given talents to minister to others, including me. Not only did they show me how to construct a sturdy ramp, but they always showed me how to use my talents as God designed it.

In this passage in II Kings, Elisha has been asked by the kings of Israel, Judah and Edom to help them defeat the Moabites. Initially, Elisha was not willing to help the kings because of his dislike for Jehoram (king of Israel). However he agreed to help because of his regard for Jehoshaphat (king of Judah). Elisha calls his musician to play for him so that he can refocus and hear from the Lord. Note that the name of the musician is never given. I believe that’s purposeful, as God wants us to focus on the fact that this musician was using his talents to serve the Lord. And when he played, the Lord spoke to Elisha. Such powerful outcomes can happen when we tap into our talents and dedicate them in service to the Lord. Remember, you got gifts (I Corinthians 12). Use them for God, and watch Him move.