Unclaimed Gifts

 October 10, 2020

The Jewish story begins with God’s promise to Abraham to give him descendants like the stars in the sky, and a land in which they would dwell. That promise was reiterated to his progeny, ultimately making its way down to Moses and Joshua. “I will give you this land,” was the essence of the promise, but there was somewhat of a catch. He was giving it to them, but they had to fight in order to receive it. That land was already populated, and the inhabitants were not going to just hand it over without a fight. There is a lesson here for us.

Unclaimed gifts are not gifts at all. God’s promises can be hidden and held captive by the original inhabitants of our hearts—the sins, jealousies, pride, desires, selfishness, and orneriness that is part and parcel of our fallen condition. For us to take possession of God’s promises, these old inhabitants must be forcibly removed. Talents and skills formerly in service of sin and self must be claimed for Christ. Left under the control of the Old Self, they become snares to us (Joshua 16:10 & 17:12). The Old Self must be subdued and removed for us to be able to fully claim the Promise of God. All of which makes me wonder, For which of God’s gifts to me have I not fought? Have I lazily refused to watch in prayer? Have I expected God to just lay his gifts upon me, and thereby missed those which must be won by steadfast endurance? What gift lies unclaimed, unopened, and unused because I was not willing to fight for it?