Yesterday evening, my husband and I decided to take our dogs to the dog park. Our Large dog Dexter can not contain his excitement when we announce to him that we are going to the "DOG PARK!!" Those two little words he understands so well. He jumps and runs to the front door, then back to my husband, then bounds to the front door again. It makes me smile to watch his excitement build. We grab our little dog Bailey and head to the truck.
Once inside the truck, as we drive to the dog park, Dexter paces frantically from one window to another with great anticipation and excitement. The closer we get the less he can contain himself from whining and groaning. Once the dog park is in sight, the whining is in full swing. His tail wags and his tongue hangs out as he pants breathlessly, waiting for us to let him out of the truck.
Once out of the truck, my husband struggles to hold him back as he pulls, full force towards the gate. There is no stopping him. If you pull back on the leash, he pulls forward with more might than we thought he had. My husband and I chuckle, because at times, Dexter will dig his paws into the gravel and start a low crawl to try and get to the gate faster, whining the whole way.
After we step inside the gate and his leash comes off, it's like watching a scene from chariots of fire (if the characters were dogs that is). In a flash Dexter is off, running at an incredible speed. Just watching him run makes you feel invigorated. He is free, and in his element. He will run, and run and run. It amazes me how he can continue on and on as he does. Where does his stamina come from? He easily out runs any dog that is there, no matter how hard they try to keep up.
If you have ever seen the movie Chariots of Fire, which I referenced previously, then you will understand what I meant. The movie was released in 1981, and it is truly a classic. I have seen it once or twice, but there is a popular line in which the main character Eric Liddell states: "I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure". This is the quote that always comes to me as I see Dexter run.
What I'm getting at here is something I felt the Lord was saying to me. We are all created by Him and given specific gifts. Those gifts were imbedded within us when the Lord created us in the innermost parts. God did make us for a purpose. We are never here, both on this earth and in our specific places in our own life's journey, by accident. He has purposed us to be where we are for a reason.
Sometimes, we just don't understand what those reasons are, and even at times seem to resent what those reasons might be if the sailing is no longer smooth. What reason would God have in bringing me to such a dark place in life? ... we question. Yet, it is not our job to question the purpose of God in our life. We either believe what His Word says (Jeremiah 29:11) or we don't believe His Word at all. It's as simple as that. If we do believe, then we know deep down, no matter how rough those patches get in life, we know we never have to walk through those dark places alone. He walks with us, and brings us through. There is always a morning that follows the night.
In knowing that He has purposed us in this life, our purpose is very much intertwined with our gifts. If we are not using the gifts He has given us in this life, we may find our walk through life is dull. The gifts and talents we poses were given to us for two reasons. First and foremost, they were given so that we may use them to bring glory to Christ and be a blessing to others. Secondly, they were given so that we may, as Eric so greatly put it, "feel His pleasure." God has given us life, both eternal life, but He also gave us this temporal life on earth. Eternal life, when we choose Christ, is something we all greatly look forward too. Yet scripture tells us he has given us life, and not just life, but abundant life. Yet to have this abundant life here on earth we need to be aware of our giftings. We need to use them to glorify God, bless others, and in turn there will also be a God-given pleasure in our own lives.
So I guess my question to myself and to you is: What are your God given gifts and talents? And more importantly, once you know, are you using them or wasting them? Just as Dexter is in his element at the dog park where he is free to run like the wind, what is your element? Don't waste those gifts. Find them, use them and in turn "feel His pleasure" and cause those around you to do the same.
