Everyone’s done it. Few are willing to admit it. Yet, we might as well come clean. At some point or another we’ve all…re-gifted. For whatever reason, it became more expedient to “pass on” a gift given to us. There’s no shame in that. In fact, it’s Biblical!
The fact is, all of life is a gift…the breath we breathe, the health we enjoy, the job we have, the healing and wholeness we have received, the love of Christ shone in our hearts, the abundant life that bubbles in us. It is out of this abundance of these that we’ve freely received that we are to re-gift, or offer, to others.
Spiritual formation is, by its very nature, missional. It is for not only for ourselves…but for others. As we are formed in to the likeness of Christ, we increasingly take on the nature of Christ and love as Jesus loves.
The Bible often portrays the life of Christ in our lives as a river or stream. Jesus said in John 7:38, “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”The life of Christ that flows in us (living water) was made to over flow to others. “The most important thing is to stay close to the stream, take a drink and be available. The result of this continual availability to the Spirit is the ability to love God more intimately. And the love toward others will naturally flow from one who is aligned with God.” Lisa (a participant in my spiritual formation life group)
“This is your life and a river runs through it and it’s not just for you. Your flourishing is for the healing of the nations.” John Ortberg
Lord, by your grace, make this our desire and our experience and as it becomes true of us, may we live well before and on behalf of others.
Gail Johnsen 