First Fruits

“See, I have called by name… And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship.” Ex 31:2-3.

We like to think that things are so different than centuries ago, but God’s calendar rarely boasts new dealings with mankind. He is true to Himself, never changing but revealing His heart to us and His plan for us. Before Feb of 2006 I never had any interest or talents in writing. It was never on my radar and gave the Bible little thought as I awoke each morning. I had been raised in the church and was shown daily spiritual principles by my parents and grandparents. But those faithful saints who exemplified faith to us can’t know God for us. At 45 God filled me with a desire to draw closer to Him and to the Bible. It was only through my new pursuit of meditation on His word did God step right out of the pages of the Bible and into my mind and heart. It was only through that newly directed intimate fellowship that I discovered the workmanship He placed in my life…His workmanship…His call that He had predetermined before I even existed. It is the same call on your life no matter how you fill your days. ‘For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.’ Ephesians 2:10.

I used to try to be like other people before God showed me that the only person for whom we should emulate is Jesus Christ. Jesus didn’t do one activity until He had spent time in fellowship with God through prayer. The work of His hands was the overflow of His heart for God and we are no different. We all have calendars bursting with obligations, invitations and commitments. But not one of these entries will be filled with its best version without giving God the ‘first fruits’ of our day. Just like in our verse above, our wisdom, understanding and knowledge comes from God and not from any other source. Why wouldn’t we seek all these things before we begin our activities for the day?

God has prepared special and purposeful things for each of us in our work. We can only know the path He has laid out before us when we give Him our time to receive the guidance. If we are not careful we will load our day down with things of little purpose and things that lack satisfaction. ‘With God’s guidance, we must chart out our own course. We must be solely and exactly who God designed us to be, and not someone else. God has designed and equipped you to do a very specific job at a very specific time in a very specific place.’ Ready – Finding the Courage to Face the Unknown, Heather M Dixon, p. 28.