The Official Writing Challenge
BACK TO
CHALLENGE
MAIN
INSTRUCTIONS
how it works
submission rules
guidelines for
choosing a level
ENTRIES
submit your entry
read current entries
read past entries
challenge winners
Our Daily Devotional HERE
Place it on your site or
receive it daily by email.


TRUST JESUS TODAY

  • Share
  • how it works
  • Submit
Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Melody (08/24/06)
GOD’S MELODY ON EARTH

Have you ever felt like your life doesn’t make sense? Ever wondered why in the world God gave you the gifts that you have? Gifts that perhaps you don’t even know what to do with? I have. I’ve wondered for years after becoming a Christian just what exactly God wanted me to do. Like most men, I’m mission orientated. I was on a mission from God that I wanted to carry out and then get off this planet. (Life had been very hard on me and I didn’t see much joy in it.) To carry out any mission successfully you have to know your objectives. I wanted my daily marching orders from the Most High’s throne and was determined to carry out His exacting will. I wanted Him to dictate every detail in my life. In this way, I would have the security of a job well done. There was just one problem... God doesn’t work that way.
Don’t get me wrong. God sometimes does give us specific directions. Read through the Bible and you’ll find Him giving detailed instructions from time to time (i.e. the construction of the Ark of the Covenant (Ex. 25: 9-22), directing Joseph to take Jesus to Egypt (Mt. 2:13), etc...). But the question I wanted to know was, what do You want me to do? I thought that question was simple. A simple question that would receive a simple answer. In the 28 years that I have known the Lord, I’m still receiving an answer to that question.
My focus was all wrong. God’s will isn’t just about performing a task. Carrying out a mission to a designated end. It’s about living a new life. The more I have gotten to know the Lord the more I’ve come to understand just how important relationships are. We are so much more to Him than just gifts; gifts that can help others and perform services. Our gifts don’t define who we are. God defines who we are and we have wonderful opportunities to get to know Him, ourselves and others. God doesn’t give us gifts just for us. Sometimes He gives us gifts just for others. There is no way to understand that unless we include other people in our lives. Sometimes it’s hard to want to include others especially when we’ve been hurt by them. But that is the way in which He has made us.
We are like one note being played on an instrument in an orchestra. If you only listen to your own note being played at a concert, the concert doesn’t make sense at all. In fact, our note seems laughable, randomly appearing and disappearing. Sometimes played at length, many times not played at all. But if we listen from the perspective of the Holy Conductor, combined with the notes of other instruments, the end result is dramatic and beautiful. We are God’s melody on earth. He has gifted each and every single one of us. Gifts that are meant to give us joy and share joy with others. Gifts to share with each other and to glorify Him. There is one theme that all those gifts have in common. One theme that makes all those gifts make perfect sense. They were given to us in Love. Love brings purpose and satisfaction. Love gives us a reason to use our gifts. Love allows us to get to know our Creator. God’s melody on earth is for us to show Christ’s love to others. Matthew 22: 37.(NAS) And He said to him, " `YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' 39. "The second is like it, `YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE

JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
This article has been read 971 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Joanne Sher 
09/03/06
I love your title and last paragraph! Very nice! You might get more readers if you separate your paragraphs. PM me if you need help with that!
Donna Powers
09/04/06
Excellent idea and well told. I enjoyed the concept and your way of telling it was very interesting.

I agree that the piece might flow better if the paragraphs were separated.
Rhonda Clark
09/04/06
I like how this piece flowed. The idea is great.
Pat Guy
09/13/06
This was one entry that touched my soul and had an impact on my life. As a judge for this particular week I would have loved to have seen it soar to the top. But, when someone's writing places in someone's heart, and life - it's the best place to recieve. It's a winner in their heart - like mine. Good job Donn.