Gifts: the Joy of Serving

I volunteered to lead the women's Sunday School tomorrow. We're working with John Ortberg's book Gifts: the Joy of serving. I find that I'm like many women, i.e. I feel giftless, even though Scripture clearly teaches that is not the case. Here I am over 50 and still groping around trying to figure out what I'm good at. (Could He use the art of being able to read two books at once?) I'm almost sure that with all the billions of people in the world, God forgot about the gift thing with at least one person-me. But I'm pushing ahead anyway...

In his book, Gifts, Ortberg reminds us that the spiritual gifts we're given are to build up the whole team, not for use as in one man show. And the gifts He gives me take into account my background, my temperment, my likes and my passions. (So it's a cinch I won't be doing something for the kingdom of God that has to do with fish or fishing!) But the most thought provoking of all, to me, was the idea that there is more to having a gift than just using it. Even using it for His kingdom's sake. It is the idea that God wants me to share myself, my own life. To expend myself. To share my very soul. It struck me that it's very much like our visit to the Grand Canyon. Having a gift from God is like being at the edge of the Canyon and peering over its edge; being awed by the incredible vastness and beauty of the place. Of even acknowledging that God alone could have created such a place. It's only right and just that it should be that way. But imparting my whole self as I use the gifts that He has given what I really long to do. Like at the Grand Canyon. I want more than peering over the edge. I want to get down into it, to see it up close. To explore all the nooks and crannies that can't be seen on top. I want to be a part of a world that goes beyond the easy. I think what I long for is what Ortberg describes, that of putting my life out there for others. Here's what Ortberg says:

"A church can be a sterile place where believers just attend. It can be a hotel where people check in and check out. Or it can be ahome where you feel like you belong because people are sharing their lives with each other, expending themselves for one another..."