The Gifts of God
Early in the Bible God makes it a point to list the gifts He has given us. It all starts out in the book of Genesis. The earth, the water, the sun, moon and the stars. These are all gifts. The animals, birds and all the creatures He gave, are all gifts. I have to ask myself, would it have been any different if God would have first created man and then showed him all how He had created all of these things? I think this shows just how humble God really is. This also makes a much more impressionable gift. Here is all I have made. It is all yours.
God did not stop giving man gifts after he was created. God was far from finished with showering His pride and joy with gifts. Genesis 2:7. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. 8. And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
God gave to man a garden planted by His own hands. Imagine the beauty of that garden. The loving care with which each plant was placed. I noticed that God let man name every living creature. I can just imagine God calling every plant by name as He placed them in the garden made for man.
The next gift God had for man was his work. Genesis 2:15. And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. To us today this just doesn't seem fair. It almost seems that on our birthday God decides to give us work to do. But when we give our own children a precious gift don't we also say, "okay this is yours, now you have to take care of it." And how often do we see a gift of a pet given to a child and the first thing the parent does is to sit down and explain to them the responsibility of caring for that pet? Why would God be any different?
With God this early gift of work goes much deeper. It brings to mind the parable of the talents. There were three people involved in that story. To often we dwell upon the last person. The one that didn't do a thing. By not using what he was trusted with, he lost everything. There were two others involved in that story. The next man had received 2 talents. He of course returned 4 talents to his master and received his reward. But the one we should be concentrate on was the one that received 5 talents. This man not only wisely used the talents he was trusted with and returned 10 onto his master, he also received his reward. But the most talented man also received the one talent that the master took from the lazy servant.
There are so many reasons God gave man his work at such an early stage. But like the parable of the talents, it is for each of us to find that answer on our own. God has such a number of Spiritual Gifts to give us. To trust us with. It is up to each of us how we use these gifts. God will never force us to properly use the gifts He gives us.
After giving man his work God immediately gave man his freedom of choice. Genesis 2:16. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
This is not by mistake or coincidence that God gave man his work, and then his freedom of choice. Rather it was God's design. God will never fail to give us our work, and the tools to accomplish our tasks. It will forever be our choice to use our talents for God, ignore our work or misuse our gifts. I could now list a few hundred text to illustrate this point. But there is one that seems to put it all together. Proverbs 8:32-32. Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways. 33. Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. 34. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. 35. For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord.
36. But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
This is a quick over view of choice. By even in the life of Solomon we can see all of this text illustrated. We see Solomon at first as someone that came to God in prayer admitting he was inadequate for the task set before him. So what did God do to solve the problem? God gave Solomon all the tools he needed to do the work before him. All the talents Solomon needed and more. And how did Solomon chose to use those talents God gave him?
So what was the next gift man was to receive? Genesis 2:21. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22. And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
23. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. It was woman. So what does woman illustrate in all this? Let us fist review. After man was created he was given a garden, and then his work. At the same time man was given his freedom of choice. Now Adam was given a mate. Someone to work with. Someone to work for.
God wants us to know that we are not to work alone. But with others. And for others. This is the work we were given to do. To care for one another. Can one that works alone, for himself be considered Christian at all? Did Christ come to this world to lead a perfect life all alone by Himself with no contact with others? What was the first thing Christ did when He set out on His ministry? He choose people to work with. Even in the garden of Eden, before Adam began his work, he was given Eve to be his helper.
To look at God's plan, every action, the sequence of events, is all a lesson for us to see. God had all of this figured out before He even started. Why wouldn't there be lessons in everything He did? A purpose in every gift God has given to us?
As the story goes on in Genesis we see that Adam and Eve were not very wise in using some of the gifts God had given them. As a matter of fact it didn't take them long to make a mess of everything. But was this the end of the gifts? Or did God already have more prepared for them? Before being removed for the garden God did not send them away empty handed. Genesis 3:21. Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them. Think of it. They messed up and God just keeps on giving. There was a high price Adam and Eve had to pay for their sins, but there was a much higher price that needed to be paid. For one there were a few innocent animals that had to give their lives for the mistakes they had made. And God made these coats Himself. They were garments that only God Himself could supply. Man could not cover himself. God had to do it. And in this gift was also given the promise of a redeemer. Isaiah 61:10. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
Even when we make the wrong choices God has a way of saying, "don't worry, I have a plan." Even the thief on the cross. When it seemed to him that all was lost. That there was nothing left for him to do but suffer for all the choices he made. God was right there next to him working on His plan. Jesus turned to him not to say I told you so. But to give him his reward for his faith. Even those that use only one talent will receive their reward.