I am giving what is called a Fourth Day Talk on Sunday afternoon at an Ultreya. I am part of the movement in the Lutheran Church called Via de Cristo. At the Episcopal Church I am attending it is called Cursillo. Some of you may have heard of Walk to Emmaus. The premise of all three are the same. An Ultreya is a gathering of encouragement. Those who have been on a weekend gather to continue encouraging each other on our walk with Christ. It is also a time that we can invite those who haven't been on a weekend and encourage them in their walk by perhaps inviting them to our next weekend.
A Fourth Day Talk is a talk to the group, or community, to encourage them in their walk with Christ by talking about your relationship with Jesus Christ and how you try to bring him closer to others in ordinary circumstances of your life.
With that in mind, I've pasted my talk below. I would appreciate any suggestions or thoughts any of you have. I have run it by a couple of folks, including a pastor friend of mine who actually said he liked it.
I'll appreciate it.
Blessings!
Nancy
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Fourth Day Talk
Ultreya
July 10, 2005
“We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us.”
I quoted this, the first part of Romans 12:6, when I had the privilege, a few short weeks ago, of writing my nephew a letter for a senior retreat, much like Cursillo, or my Via de Cristo. I followed it with telling him that on finding his passion in life, he needed to use his gift and his passion for it in honor and glory to God. Since then I’ve been thinking about my own passion – music. I realized a long time ago that I had a gracious gift from God that I had to use in honor and praise to Him. But since writing the letter to my nephew, I’ve wanted to ground that realization and belief again.
I love the beginning of Romans 12. It speaks to me in how I, or any of us, should present ourselves in coming before God in worship. It reads, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual (or reasonable) worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect (or the perfect will of God).”
While I was writing the letter to my nephew and thinking about my gift of music, these verses began to speak to me. Because of our deep devotion and love for God, we present ourselves to Him to discover His will for us. But wait, isn’t that giving up control? Did I give up control of my music? Do we have to give up something in order to find our gift? The answer is a resounding YES! We have to give up our own personal freedom in the world and find freedom in Christ.
The following by Oswald Chambers gets to that point straight away for me. “Once our concentration is on God, all the limits of our life are free and under the control and mastery of God alone. There is no longer any responsibility on you for the work. The only responsibility you have is to stay in living constant touch with God, and to see that you allow nothing to hinder your cooperation with Him. The freedom that comes after sanctification is the freedom of a child, and the things that used to hold your life down are gone. But be careful to remember that you have been freed for only one thing – to be absolutely devoted to your co-Worker.”
Knowing that I am first and foremost free of sin because of Christ our Savior, and then putting my trust in God to stay close to Him, I am allowed to devote my passion, and my gift from Him, to Him. But I’m reminded by St. Paul’s words to the Galatians in Chapter 5, verse 13, “For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters, only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another.” This verse reminds me that I’m not supposed to take the gift of music He has given me and merely use it for myself, but I’m to share it, especially to His glory in worship of Him.
And to really find God we become slaves to Him and to each other. To really have a relationship with Him in order to find our gifts we lose control to Him. O.K. so I think I have that, but that’s a hard step. I’m not too good at giving up my freedom to anyone. So what else is there?
Well, I guess if we need to give up control to God to have freedom in Him, then trust must be applied. David seems to help with the idea of trust.
In Psalm 37:4-5, “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.”
How about Hebrews 11:8: “He went out, not knowing where he was going.” When we do this there is no logical answer if anyone asks what we are doing…or thinking. One of the most difficult questions to answer in Christian work is, “What do you expect to do?” (I heard that question when I announced to my parents years ago that I was going to be a musician. “You’re going to do WHAT!?! But don’t you want to make money? My answer was I HAVE to do it and God did give me the opportunity.). We hear that as Christians from those around us who can’t believe we’re putting our trust in God to lose our freedom to Him and trust in Him. But, the one thing we do know is that God knows what He is doing. Thus we have to continually examine our attitudes towards God to see if we are willing to “go out” in every area of our lives, trusting in Him entirely. Of course, this keeps us all in constant wonder because we don’t know what He’s going to do next. Each morning when we awake, there is a new opportunity to “go out, “ building your confidence in God. “…Do not worry about your life…not about the body…” (Luke 12:22). Oswald Chamber’s say this, “Let the attitude of your life be a continual willingness to “go out” in dependence upon God, and your life will have a sacred and inexpressible charm about it that is very satisfying to Jesus. You must learn to “go out” through your convictions, creeds, or experiences until you come to the point in your faith where there is nothing between yourself and God.”
So, I know I have this gift – the gift of music. It’s also a passion. Are the two interchangeable? Sure. When you find something you really love to do it can be both a gift and a passion. I truly believe God made us to be passionate and enthusiastic about life and about what we do in life. So let’s come full circle and look at gifts again.
1 Corinthians 12: 1 – 11. (Page 933)
Perhaps my favorite verses are 4 - 6, “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone.”
We are all given gifts from God to share with the rest of the body of Christ. Mine is music, but included in that is teaching, playing and writing. It is important that we are open to Christ enough to daily give Him our lives, turn our freedom over to Him, and trust Him that He has a path set for us, so that we can use the gifts He gives to each one of us to His glory and in thanksgiving to Him.
That’s what I have found in my music. It’s what I’ve always felt. If I can give myself over to Him and trust Him with my life, I then must share my gift, my music, my passion, with everyone. As the song says, “Hide it under a bushel? NO! I’m going to let it shine!” That’s what we all must do with the gifts He gives us. Let them shine! It’s that overwhelming joy in music that allows it to be my passion, gives me meaning and allows me to look at life as a child running outside on a summer’s afternoon – free and happy – in Him.
The best summary of gifts and how to use them is found in Ecclesiastes 9:10.
“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might…”
May we all use our varied gifts with all our might to His Glory!
What's significant about the 4th day? Was this when Jesus was on the road to Emmaus?
I kinda think he was naked in the garden outside the tomb. This is when Mary saw him.
Guess he grabbed some clothes when on the road to Emmaus?
Wonder if he wore anything when he appeared to others, particularly inside those rooms where Thomas wasn't the first time and was the 2nd time? They could easily see the sword wound in his side.
Yes, that would have been the day Christ was on the road to Emmaus.
The fourth day is significant because it's the first day we are all among the world with a risen Christ who had been proclaimed risen to all of us on Easter Sunday. Much like the idea of the first day of the rest of your life.
Nancy
