LIVE CREATIVELY

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Galatians 6.

We were directed there yesterday by one of my colleagues during our weekly staff session. It is one of my “go to” passages.

It comes on the heels of Paul reminding us that we are FREE and what it takes to flourish in that FREEDOM.

And while Jillian (my colleague) shared from a different translation, I like the language Petersen uses because it gives us some clear instruction as to how SPIRIT-led folks are to embrace their days.

And just what is a SPIRIT-led person?  One who is FILLED with and consistently leveraging the FRUITS of GOD’s SPIRIT within each of us.  Fruits like LOVE, GENTLENESS, SELF-CONTROL etc. (Galatians 5:22-23)

That brings me back to the instructions given in Galatians 6. Spirit-led folks are to ...

Galatians 6:1-5 (MSG)

Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived. Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.

What is the instruction?

First live CREATIVELY and HUMBLY. 

GOD has gifted each of us uniquely.  Therefore we are to connect with GOD daily to understand those gifts and how to best use them for Him in reaching out and serving others.

“We are nothing with all our gifts be they ever so great, except God assist us.” ― Martin Luther

If you are gifted to pray, then pray. 

If you are gifted to serve, then serve. 

Encourage? Then encourage. 

GOD has equipped each one of us to GLORIFY Him with very special GIFTS He himself has provided.  When He inspires Paul to encourage creativity, He is inspiring us to ‘become AWARE’ of the gifts and obedient to use them.  Some examples of how we can use them are given.  Use them to forgive and restore others, “bear the burdens” of others even if that means taking on some of the burden ourselves.

Yet I think the most important instruction is that we are to sink ourselves into the WORK GOD has given us.  We are not to worry about what GOD has called or equipped others to do, we are to daily do what WE CAN DO and then do that to the best of our ability and to GOD'S glory.

Period.

GOD is also not interested in our egos or the accolades of peers and the masses.

Not at all.

The gifts came from Him to be used for Him.

Remember the people we intersect to serve and love are not coincidental. 

GOD has equipped us for those opportunities.  He wants us to rely on the gifting He has given us to discern, interject, offer assistance, lead, restore, forgive, encourage or whatever.  And we are to do that creatively and humbly.

So ask yourself. Are you ready for that today?  Can you give your creative best to the interactions and relationships you will engage in?

Can you stay grounded and allow GOD to work in those situations for His glory? 

Can you express GOD’S FRUITS of love, gentleness, and patience and the like when they are needed and called for? 

Are you ready to assume the burden of another in order to help them through a crisis or to lead them to what the LORD has for them?

You have been uniquely and gifted for just that today.

You have!

The question is will you LIVE CREATIVELY…