by David Baker - Associate Pastor of Worship Ministries
"God looked at what he had done. All of it was very good!" Genesis 1:31a ESV
"The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing." Zephaniah 3:17 NRSV
I didn't like Clint very much. As we were heading toward our VBS, he had this hair-brained notion that we (the staff guys) could create something to demonstrate to the kids about using our talents for God's glory. I have seen the things Bro. Dave has made out of wood for our grandkids, and I stand behind one of the most beautiful pulpits I have ever seen each Sunday that was made by Jeff. I didn't know what Rusty was thinking about doing, but I knew it was going to be great as well. And of c0urse, Clint is a pretty impressive artist.
I could nail a couple of boards together and call it a large plus sign. Or let it sit on two legs and call it "X Marks the Spot!"
It's no secret that I've had a "mechanical bypass" early in life, where they came and took out all the mechanical abilities and made space for my horn that I honk by squeezing my nose. But I was pretty sure honking my nose wasn't what Clint was looking for...
Then someone said, "You could write a song." Past efforts of that activity hadn't been that particularly fruitful, but I thought it had to be better than creating a math sign out of a 2x4.
With the theme of "God is Creative - And So Are We," I looked at the Creation story in Genesis. As God created each day, He saw that it was all good. Since we are made in God's image, then we are also creative! And if we're using our talents that He Himself gave us, then wouldn't He also call what we've done "good." Zephaniah 3:17 talks about God rejoicing and singing over us! Can't you see God taking your talents as if it were a picture of a pony and place it on His refrigerator? Wouldn't He smile and call it "good?"
With this image in my mind, my girls (and my wife) and I came up with these lyrics and put it to music:
You may be good with colors and paint, you may be good with working with wood
Whatever your talents, if you use it for God, He will smile and He will call it all good.
You may be good at acting and such, or possibly singing a tune
Whatever your talents, if you use if for God, He will smile and He will call it good.
In the beginning God created all things, He saw it and He called it all good
We're all created with gifts from Him to give Him glory as all of us should
He's given us all of our special gifts and He smiles as we sing and we play
Using our gifts to bring praise to His name, He rejoices over us every day
As we praise and glorify His name.
"Lord, may we always use our talents for YOU!"
Prai- "sing" Him!
David