The power of gifts and community

This week, I have been struck by the way Daniel sees himself in the second chapter of Daniel, particularly in just this one verse;

To you, O God of my fathers, 

I give thanks and praise, 

for you have given me wisdom and might, 

and have now made known to me what we asked of you, 

for you have made known to us the king’s matter.” 

Daniel 2:23.

This verse is the end of Daniel’s recorded prayer after Nebuchadnezzar’s dream had been revealed to Daniel and his friends. 

Daniel recognises the gifts God has given him, ‘you have given me wisdom and might’.  Remember, Daniel is still a young man in this part of the book, possibly late teens yet he already knows who he is - a man of understanding and strength. Isn’t that pretty powerful?! 

Daniel is secure and unafraid to admit that his characteristics have been passed down from His God - like we inherit things from biological parents - we also inherit gifts from our Father in heaven. Daniel recognises that and is grateful for it. He admits and accepts that he has been given wisdom and might from God, as, a few verses before, Daniel has mentioned that all wisdom and strength are God’s. So, now he acknowledges that God has imparted some of that wisdom and might to himself. He is not ashamed of it, he accepts that this is how God has gifted him. He doesn’t feel proud of himself for his understanding and strength, as if he acquired them himself through study and hardwork, but he gives all credit to God. Eventhough Daniel, in reality, has been studying for 3 years (as a captive of the Babylonians). Yet he realises this knowledge he has is not from dedicated effort or appropriate learning from books or others, it is an insight, an understanding, a wisdom that only God can provide.

We see here how God has imparted part of His own character - his wisdom and might to Daniel. What part of Himself has God imparted to you? 

Each of us are made in the image of God as it tells us this in Genesis .Therefore we all, like Daniel, have inherited some of God’s character due to being made in His image - isn't that incredible?! What we see here with Daniel as well, is that he doesn't play down the fact that he is gifted in certain areas, but instead he acknowledges and accepts them, then uses them. God gives us gifts not to amuse ourselves or to just lay dormant, but they are an impartation to you to use that you may demonstrate to the world some of God's character! 

Daniel accepts and acknowledges  that he is graced with wisdom and might. He is not embarrassed by it, but he sees how he has something others don’t, and he gives God the credit - this is the right way to appreciate the way God has made you. By using his God-given abilities, Daniel saves lives and reveals who God is to the current king - that’s pretty epic! 

What could you achieve if you start to accept and acknowledge the character that God has imparted to you?

Another thing I notice from this verse is that Daniel takes no credit for the revelation he has received, do you notice that? He says, ‘for you have made known to us the king’s matter.’ Do you notice that little word, ‘us’? Daniel very graciously admits that the revelation is due to his friends as well as himself praying. He recognises the group effort, and that the revelation, the breakthrough belongs to them all, not just to him. 

Daniel has not prayed alone or been in this situation alone, he and his friends are immersed in it together. Therefore the recognition belongs to them all. As they have prayed together, so they share the joy together. Daniel knows his value as part of this faith community, and he honours the fact that this success is theirs too.

When you pray about significant matters, do you pray in community? 

Who are those that you can invite to pray with you? 

When you pray with others, do you also share the victory and celebrate the breakthrough together?

Daniel accepts, values and reaches out to the friends of faith in his life, make sure that you have people in your life that you can do the same with - this is what it is to be the family of God. It is not easy to trust people with the innermost hurts and difficult situations, i know, i am one that finds it hard to share, but we can see time and again throughout the Bible where prayer in community brings change. In Daniel alone, we see how Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, the firm faith-filled friends; interpreted dreams, helped rule a nation, escaped death and saved lives! Through walking faithfully with God, acknowledging their opportunities and gifts, and by working together. 

If you want to see things change, if you want to grow in your faith, then spend some time figuring out what your gifts are - ask God, ask others, they will help you. Accept and acknowledge how God has made you, and get others of faith with you through thick and thin and see what God can do. With these four lads - captives, young, vulnerable, faithful and faith-filled, God was able to influence kings, and demonstrate that He is, "God of gods and Lord of lords"! (v17)

I wonder what you and I could do if we gathered together, prayed, celebrated and accepted our God-given gifts... 

Use your gifts to love earnestly

8Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. *9*Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. *10*As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: *1 1*whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
 1 Pe 4:8–11.

Love one another earnestly. Not half-heartedly, not as a second thought, but as a priority.
Loving earnestly is hardwork. It means we hold our tongues at times, we overlook misdemeanours and extend grace. We accept friendship and help from each other, encourage and support each other often at a cost to ourselves. If loving someone doesn’t hurt at times - are you sure you’re doing it right?! It will sometimes; get in the way, be inconvenient and difficult. It will take time and energy, but don’t you too want to be loved in that way? Don't you want others to consider you, look after you and forgive you?
Jesus showed us this kind of earnest love. Sometimes we receive it so easily that we forget the cost. We are told to continue to love earnestly - to give the love imparted to us through Jesus - to one another.

The following verses focus on a few of the ways we can demonstrate this earnest love; showing hospitality, serving one another and public speaking.

Showing hospitality -  without grumbling. Be generously welcoming to others whether inside your home or not, accepting those around you. It seems funny to mention that we should do this without grumbling - you’d hope that good christian people would be welcoming without making a fuss about it, wouldn’t you? But, sometimes we do like a good moan, not always in front of people. Yet, grumbling does not really make us feel good, does it? Grumbling means we fail to see the good around us and get stuck in a spiral of negativity. There's not a lot of point doing the work of being hospitable if your hearts not in it, because are we then really being hospitable? Hospitality is about welcoming people and caring for them. There are some people who are so gifted at doing this and consider it a joy, if you're not one of them then find what your gift is and bless your church by exercising that gift - that's what these verses encourage us to do - to use the gifts God has given us for the benefit of the church.

Speaking - Speakers are to speak as if they are uttering oracles of God; showing the seriousness of the oral word. This seems to indicate the value of public speaking, I don't think it is about chatting hit your friends (although we should still consider our words). As these verses are about loving each other earnestly, it makes sense that this 'speaking' refers to the works used publicly in a church context. so it could be this that sing, preach, deliver a word, teach or share testimony, really whatever way words are publicly used. This is important as your words have purpose and power. Therefore we are to use them wisely. If we consider these public words to be 'oracles of God' then we must consider seriously how we speak. Our words can impact lives. If you are speaking in the pubic domain, consider that you are charged with a message from God - treat it with the reverence that deserves, and deliver it with grace. If you are charged with a message, try to consider how would Jesus say it?

Servers - serve with the strength of God. Helping one another and helping the church, it doesn’t matter how, it doesn't matter what you do - how big or small the job may appear, serving is an important ministry. Serving benefits the whole church. Ensure that the way in which you help is not to exhaust you, but rely on God’s strength to give you physical strength or the capacity to complete the task. If we serve without God’s strength, we can end up striving and this can be exhausting. Entrust your service to God and have faith that it does change and enrich the church.

In conclusion - whatever your gift; do it ‘in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.’