Each a Workmanship

I'm so glad you are here! I hope during your visit you get a glimpse of God's heart for we become what we are gazing at. I pray that God refreshes you and gives you readiness to persevere in what He has for you today.  

My desire is to be a blessing to you in helping you know God more and make Him known so I've made these Resources available to you and have the Missional Living blog tab for practical ideas of how to live on mission right where you are. And currently I am writing my way through Judges sharing glimpses of God's heart and character for a weekday devotional. To check out the entire series so far head on over the the Judges Devotional.   And if you are a blogger, come on over on Friday's for a blog hop.       

"After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem led Israel. He had thirty sons and thirty daughters. He gave his daughters away in marriage to those outside his clan, and for his sons he brought in thirty young women as wives from outside his clan. Ibzan led Israel seven years. Then Ibzan died, and was buried in Bethlehem. After him, Elon the Zebulunite led Israel ten years. Then Elon died, and was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun. After him, Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, led Israel. He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. He led Israel eight years. Then Abdon son of Hillel died, and was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites." Judges 12:8-15 

Enter Ibzan, Elon and Abdon and just as soon as they enter the scene, they exit. Not much is said about them (much like Tola and Jair from chapter 10). It's like a play where their part is one with no lines and they are just in one small scene. 

Doesn't it just make you wonder why. But that is a question that can relate to most things in life. Why does God use certain people for certain tasks and not others? It's not because He needs them ("as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else." Acts 17:25) It's not because they deserved it. Because in all reality apart from Jesus we earned ourselves/deserve death, not heavenly bliss. (Praise God He doesn't give us-those who put their trust in Him, what we deserve!) 

Basically, it's just not about us and it's not about these guys. Just as a potter makes his pots for his own intention, so the Lord has intentions for us. "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Eph. 2:10 He makes some to be seen by many, and others to be beautiful flowers on a mountainside seen by few. But in each He displays His glory. In each He finds delight.

Ibzan and Abdon were each given different resources to invest. Ibzan was given daughters during a time when the culture was arranged marriages for political gain (so glad I wasn't born then). And to Abdon was given incredible wealth, being able to buy his forty sons and thirty grandsons each a donkey which is compared to buying them each a Porsche today. And just like Ibzan and Abdon, the Lord has also given us each gifts to invest for His glory and the expansion of His kingdom. And even better, He didn't just give us stuff to steward and expect us to figure it all out perfectly on our own but He gave us (people who surrendered their life to Jesus) the Holy Spirit to help us know how to best steward the gifts God has given us. Thank goodness because I don't know about you, but I sure make a lot of mistakes and stewarding your entire life is kind of a big one to mess up with. 

So praising the Lord today for His grace in not only gifting each of us with different gifts but also for empowering us to use them rightly for maximum glory for His name. 

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