A GENEROUS GIFT!

God is a generous God.     He is a generous Father.   He knows how to give.    He loves to give.    Generosity is a part of His nature.   

I'm writing to Five Minute Friday and today's prompt word is GENEROUS.

The words from Scripture speak of God's generosity - overflowing, abundance, full of, abounding in, every good gift, every perfect thing, running over, He has satisfied, how much more. 

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!   Matt 7:11

For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.  Ps 107:9  

Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name!

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:

Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases,

Who redeems your life from destruction,

Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,

Who satisfies your mouth with good things,

So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.  Ps 103:1-5

His name, Jehovah Jireh, points to His willingness to provide, not only our material needs, but also His own Son for our redemption.   

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?  Rom 8:32

When I was about 15, I bought this guitar, with my own money.  I scrimped and saved for months, and finally earnt the $120 to pay for it.  That was a lot of money back then.   My mother thought I should buy something 'useful' but I had my heart set on that guitar. 

And I learnt to play it.  I took it to youth group and camps and church.   I played mostly with a friend the same age as me.   She was learning to play too.   

At home, I wasn't allowed to play it inside the house.  I guess I didn't sound so great, because that's the reality when you're first learning an instrument.  It doesn't sound so great.  I remember telling one of my daughters that you have to push through that imperfection and its accompanying insecurities if you want to be good at it.  I'm glad she did.    She is now playing and writing her own songs.

Over the years, I had a lot of negativity about my guitar playing, singing and worship-leading.   But really, any kind of constructive criticism was essentially filtered through that foundational lack of encouragement from my parents.  Actually, with my Dad it wasn't just a lack of encouragement - it was outright mockery.   Quite normal for him, but devastating for me.   

But God!   God is a generous God.   Since that first guitar, I have had one other significant one.   It was a 12-string Takamine, a beautiful instrument.  And I played it at church, leading worship, but again, just couldn't get my head in a good space about it, was always super sensitive to any perceived negativity.   And then it became warped because of the extreme, dry heat of where we were living.   So I gave up.  I put it aside and stopped playing.  I think I somehow believed that when that guitar 'died', God was showing me that He was merely humouring my playing, like my father had.      

There were other reasons too for giving up, not to do with how it sounded, but that it was perceived as an unproductive use of my time.     

But God!   God is now inviting me and asking me to use some of my time for that very thing - relearning the guitar.  And He's gifted me with a new Takamine, that is the perfect size for my short stature and short fingers!    It has a narrow bridge and low fretboard, making it easier to play.  And it sounds amazing, even in my hands.   He is a generous God indeed!

The biggest obstacle in all of it is in my head, but He's dealing with that too.    God has prepared a table in the presence of my enemies (real ones and perceived ones) and He has anointed my head with oil.  I don't really understand the gift and I haven't fully explored it, but I no longer doubt it, just because I can't play like the pros.    I know in the past there has been an anointing on it because people have been ministered to by the Lord Himself when I've played.   

And that's what it's all about, yes?   It's not about being perfect or being the best.  It's about offering the gift back to the generous Giver so He can bless others with it, like He has blessed you.  

So that's what I shall do.  I shall offer the gift back to the generous God who gifted it to me - both the guitar and the ability to play.  

And I shall Sing His Praise Again - in the house of the Lord

And oh my soul

Sing to the God of the ages

Sing to the Lord of creation

Sing His praise again

Oh my soul

Sing like the heavens are waiting

Roar like an army of angels

Sing His praise again