What Do You Bring To The Table?

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. ~ Ephesians 2:10

God has entrusted each of us with being stewards over our hearts, minds, bodies and our families. He has also entrusted us, at such a time as this, with serving Him in whatever ways He leads.  He has gifted us each differently to complement one another and to serve as an extension of Him.  From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.  ~ Luke 12:48  We have been given and entrusted with much.  Much more is being asked of us.

 

Personally, in one sense I feel like a fish out of water in some ways God has required me to obey Him and serve.  In another sense, I feel completely comfortable with whom God has made me, how He continues to grow me and who I know I am not.  We will each use the gifts He has given us and continues to develop in us for His glory as He blends them together beautifully around the table of service.  Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  ~ 1 Corinthians 1:26-27

Our greatest strength comes through humbly recognizing our own weaknesses and acknowledging Christ in them.  Christ’s power rests on us when we know it is made perfect in our weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9~  He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  

Our greatest strength: CHRIST’S POWER RESTING ON US!

Here are some Greek roots words from 2 Corinthians 12:9 from

www.blueletterbible.org.  Take a look!

• POWER:

1) strength, power, ability

a) inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth

b) power for performing miracles

c) moral power and excellence of soul

d) the power and influence which belong to riches and wealth

e) power and resources arising from numbers

f) power consisting in or resting upon armies, forces, hosts

 

RESTS:

1) to fix a tent or habitation on

a) to take possession of and live in the houses

1) of the citizens

2) of the power of Christ descending upon one, working within him and giving him help 

So, Who and what do we bring to the table as we serve the Lord?  We bring Him and His power.  I love that His power rests on us.  Comforting.  Freeing.  Peaceful.  

With hearts poised in humility, He gives us His strength, His power, His ability, His influence, His resources for excellence of soul.  He shelters us, descends His power upon us, works with us and gives us help.  As we honor Him, He has unimaginable, exciting and fruitful things in store for His glory!!  So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.  ~ 1 Corinthians 3:7

With the entrusted responsibilities He gives each of us, I believe it all comes down to humility and reverence.  Reverence for God, His Word and the good works He has prepared in advance for us to do.  Our greatest strength:  recognizing our weakness apart from Him and therefore His power resting on us.  You are my Lord; apart from You I have no good thing. ~ Psalm 16:2

Let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.  Let’s serve Him together with excellence of soul, with His power resting on us and exalting above all things His name and His Word.

"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, 

let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe…” 
~ Hebrews 12:28

"...so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.” 
~ 1 Corinthians 2:5

“Then will I purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve Him shoulder to shoulder.” 

~ Zephaniah 3:9

“I will bow down toward Your holy temple and will praise Your name for Your love and Your faithfulness, for You have exalted above all things Your name and Your word.” 
~ Psalm 138:2