March 5                                                          Genesis 50:  15-26; 1 Corinthians 12:  1-11;

 Mark 8:11-26

 

Genesis 50:15-26

The death Jacob, father of Joseph and his brothers, and the eventual death of Joseph himself.

 

I Corinthians 12:1-11

There is one Spirit but many ways to serve the one Lord.

 

Mark 8:11-26

Jesus was tested by the Pharisees and the disciples.  A blind man was healed!

 

 

We all have gifts to offer.  God makes us all unique.  Perhaps we are all so different in order to bring different gifts in which to serve Him and each other. 

In Genesis 50:15-26, Joseph was generous with his many gifts, like forgiveness.  He was forgiving and reassuring to his brothers.  Even in his father Jacob’s death, he forgave and reassured them of God’s will.  It was God’s will that his brothers sold him into slavery.  If not, he would not have gotten to stand by Pharaoh, enabling him to feed the hungry during the famine and some of those hungry were the very brothers who sold him!  Even in his own death, Joseph talked of the will of God and reassured his brothers of a new land and that God would show Himself to them.  What strength and faith he carried to share with his brothers.

 

When Jesus healed a blind man, in Mark 8: 11-26, perhaps it was God’s will to show the man’s gift of sight, even while he was still blind, for the blind man saw God’s will with his great faith.  The blind man must have been an example to those who questioned Jesus.  An example that doors open to those who wait in faith.  No signs from God are needed, only faith.  Food will be provided, just keep the faith.  Little did the blind man know how clearly he saw before he was healed and how others could now see in his example.

These readings have reminded me that we all should embrace our own unique gifts, some great, some small.  All our gifts are God’s will, enabling us to serve Him through each other.  What gift will you share with others for God’s will? 

 

 

~ Tammy Aston