I hope you have enjoyed the Advent season and all of your Christmas and New Year’s Day celebrations as much as I did. Christmas is such a special time as we celebrate that God so loved the world that he gave us the most precious gift of all, the gift of salvation through his Son, Jesus.
Following the example of the wise men, we also celebrate Christmas by giving gifts to our loved ones in honor of the new born King. There is always so much excitement in the room as those gifts are unwrapped, especially among the children.
One exciting gift that Vicki and I received for Christmas was a significant cash gift from my dad; he is so generous. But now, what do I do with a gift like that? Invest it in some stock and hope it grows? Invest it in a ministry? Go on a nice vacation? Maybe just pass it along to our sons? Buy Vicki her own Harley? Save it for retirement? So many options to choose from.
What has surprised me is how much time I’ve spent thinking about what to do with this gift. We do that, don’t we? We spend a lot of time thinking about investing our time, talents and financial resources in things that might not have any eternal value. In comparison to the gift that God gave us at Christmas, a large cash gift isn’t really that important.
Instead I began to wonder, how much time do I spend thinking about how I’m going to invest the spiritual gifts that God has give me. What have I been doing with my free gift of salvation? Have I been keeping it to myself, or have I been sharing my gifts with others?
In 2 Timothy 1:6 Paul reminds Timothy to “fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you….” Below are some possible ways you and I can fan into flame the gifts that God has given us in this New Year. And don’t let the list overwhelm you, just choose one.
- Plan for a time of daily worship in song followed by the reading and study of God’s word.
- Memorize one new Bible verse each week.
- Increase your investment into the Kingdom by one percent.
- Set aside a day for a prayer retreat or a weekend to attend a spiritual renewal weekend or to develop leadership skills. (Promise Keepers, Women of Faith, Cursillo, Dunamis, etc.)
- Consider a short-term mission project.
- Identify a neighbor, friend, or family member to encourage throughout the year.
- Find a ministry in American Reformed Church that you can invest in.
How have you been investing God’s generous gifts of grace to you? Let me encourage you to join with me in this New year in giving careful thought as to how we will invest the greatest gift that we could ever be given; the gift of God’s Son and the spiritual gifts he gives each one of us that empowers us to live and love like him.
Seeking first the Kingdom of God, Mike Altena