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The Violinist
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Romans 12:5-6 In the same way, we are many people, but in Christ we are all one body. We are the parts of that body, and each part belongs to all the others. We all have different gifts. Each gift came because of the grace God gave us.
Listen to the radio broadcast of The Violinist
Download audio fileGod has given each one of us unique, amazing, stunning gifts and abilities. But for what purpose? To what end?
She walks out onto the stage of this huge auditorium – all dark, just the one spotlight on this virtuoso violinist. Not a sound. She tucks the violin under her chin, lifts the bow to the strings … and begins to play.
And for the next hour and a half plays the most amazing; the most beautiful, the most enchanting music. The technique, the emotion – how can she make her fingers move like that? How can one person be so brilliant?
The performance comes to an end. She takes a bow. The lights come on. And there they are – thousands of empty seats. Not one other person in the auditorium, apart from the virtuoso violinist.
It’s one thing to discover who you are and to do the things you were made to do. That’s wonderful! Fantastic! But without other people to benefit from that, it just doesn’t make sense, does it?
Romans 12:5-6 In the same way, we are many people, but in Christ we are all one body. We are the parts of that body, and each part belongs to all the others. We all have different gifts. Each gift came because of the grace God gave us.
We were all made to be part of the one body, and, here’s the bit I really love, we each belong to one another. So, the whole point of the gifts, the abilities that God’s given us, is that they should benefit others.
Bottom line? Please, make sure that you use your unique, amazing, stunning gifts and abilities to bless others. Anything less, well, it just doesn’t make sense, does it?
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
Comments
Berni Dymet
I received a comment from someone about this devotional by email. This is what she said;
“Dear Berni, Today’s Fresh took a different course to what I expected. I thought she was playing to God … and that is all that matters. All that matters.”
Here is my response to her:
Hmmm. Yes and no. When Jesus was asked what was the most important commandment He said this:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and most important command. And the second command is like the first: ‘Love your neighbor the same as you love yourself.’ All of the law and the writings of the prophets take their meaning from these two commands. (Matt 22:37-40)
In other words, loving God and loving our neighbour are two sides of the one coin. Indeed ….
Suppose a believer who is rich enough to have all the necessities of life sees a fellow believer who is poor and does not have even basic needs. What if the rich believer does not help the poor one? Then it is clear that God’s love is not in that person’s heart. (1 John 3:17)
The point of this devotional is this: the gifts that we each have are from God. Our natural talents, our resources, the motivations of our heart …. those are all from God. He makes us able.
But it’s our choice to become available. Those gifts only mean something if we use them to love our neighbour for His glory.
After all, faith, without works, is dead. To love God is to love your neighbour. Use your giftings to so that. Otherwise they’re meaningless.
Stay blessed …
Berni Dymet
Mark, praise God for the heart that He’s given you to be out there on the frontline serving Him in such an amazing way. And what a privilege it is for us here at Christianityworks to be able to pull alongside from time to time to share His Word with you. Be encouraged. You’re doing an incredible work. Your brother in Christ, Berni.
Mark Teall
I want to thank you for your Ministry. I listen to you daily. It helps get me through the day. I am born again and a small group intern in Victory Christian Fellowship. That’s in the Philippines. Internationally it ENLI.
I am an American living here for 20 years. The series on the Missionary who works with the Leprosy victims was Amazing! The part about Leprosy of the heart was especially touching. Yet, so true. I have also worked with what I call the walking dead. Not Zombies but The Critically Ill children. These children have Leukemia. So heart breaking. They can go from stage 2 to stage 4 overnight and then be gone in the morning.
You go in and minister to them all smiles with the love of God, try to cheer them and speak to them about Salvation, when some to the Kingdom, then to walk out, find a quiet place and cry that God will intervene in there lives.
My Prayers go out to that special Family who has been Called by God. I also pray that I will be able to the people in India also.
Keep up the good work, and God bless you.