February 4th, 2022
This week's devotion is written by Liz Sabath. Not only is Liz an amazing Sunday School Superintendent, but she is also an awesome grandmother! Like many amazing grandmothers, Liz always makes sure to enjoy Disney's newest movies with her grandchildren. Their newest hit movie is Encanto. Let's learn together about the message God is sending us through the gifts of song, art, script and humor in movies.
Reverend Dave
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1 Peter 4:10-11
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen
Encanto, Disney’s latest movie….Have you seen it? I’m on probably 30+ times. Not all actual sitting down watching. I love it for background sound/music during the day but that’s another devotional. It is your typical story with ups, downs, sadness and happiness. Or is it?
Our individual gifts is something talked about frequently in church, what you can give or do for the church with yours. Encanto is a story about a family and their gifts and what happens with and because of them. A lot of us use our gifts to support and grow our families and church. But in Encanto, we learned that sometimes our gifts can take us in a different direction. Sometimes our gifts can be a burden if we don’t allow ourselves grace in them. Bruno, one of the characters, hid from his family because he thought his gift was hurting the family. Mirabel didn’t know what her gift was. Do you sit back and wonder what your gift is in life? Do you find yourself struggling at times to keep a smile on your face while feeling lost? Our gifts are not to bring us down, they are not to make us feel insecure. They don’t have to be huge shining examples, they can be little, behind the scenes, making life flow kinds. Our gifts are where we find our center and let everything from that grow stronger. Our gifts are not to drag us down but to enhance our relationships and life.
How do you let your gifts strengthen your relationship with God? Your family? Even though Mirabel didn’t know her gift yet, she still was an active part of her family. She still searched for ways to help and strengthen her family.
In the song All of You from the movie, read these lyrics:
It’s a dream when we work as a team
You’re so strong
Yeah, but sometimes I cry
So do I
I may not be as strong but I’m getting wiser
Yeah, I need sunlight and fertilizer.
C’mon, let’s plant something new and watch it fly
Straight up to the sky, let’s go.
This line slammed me the first time I heard it. This is us, all of us. We all need some sunlight and fertilizer, especially after the past 2 years. Our gifts, big and small, are the sunlight and fertilizer for each other. Our relationship with God is part of the fertilizer we need. It helps us grow. Grow to be the sunshine others need to grow themselves.
In the last scene, Mirabel is handed a door knob to open the new home, she looks into the knob and sees her reflection.
Open your eyes, what do you see. I see me, all of me.
Why don’t we all be like Antonio, the youngest character in the movie, hand someone our door knob at AUMC, you may be helping them find a new stronger home and a place to share their gifts as well as a place to find themselves and receive the gifts of others.
Home Sweet Home
I like the new foundation
It isn’t perfect
neither are we (that’s true)
Just one more thing, before the celebration
We need a doorknob
We made this one for you……
- Liz Sabath
Reverend Dave
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
1 Peter 4:10-11
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen
Encanto, Disney’s latest movie….Have you seen it? I’m on probably 30+ times. Not all actual sitting down watching. I love it for background sound/music during the day but that’s another devotional. It is your typical story with ups, downs, sadness and happiness. Or is it?
Our individual gifts is something talked about frequently in church, what you can give or do for the church with yours. Encanto is a story about a family and their gifts and what happens with and because of them. A lot of us use our gifts to support and grow our families and church. But in Encanto, we learned that sometimes our gifts can take us in a different direction. Sometimes our gifts can be a burden if we don’t allow ourselves grace in them. Bruno, one of the characters, hid from his family because he thought his gift was hurting the family. Mirabel didn’t know what her gift was. Do you sit back and wonder what your gift is in life? Do you find yourself struggling at times to keep a smile on your face while feeling lost? Our gifts are not to bring us down, they are not to make us feel insecure. They don’t have to be huge shining examples, they can be little, behind the scenes, making life flow kinds. Our gifts are where we find our center and let everything from that grow stronger. Our gifts are not to drag us down but to enhance our relationships and life.
How do you let your gifts strengthen your relationship with God? Your family? Even though Mirabel didn’t know her gift yet, she still was an active part of her family. She still searched for ways to help and strengthen her family.
In the song All of You from the movie, read these lyrics:
It’s a dream when we work as a team
You’re so strong
Yeah, but sometimes I cry
So do I
I may not be as strong but I’m getting wiser
Yeah, I need sunlight and fertilizer.
C’mon, let’s plant something new and watch it fly
Straight up to the sky, let’s go.
This line slammed me the first time I heard it. This is us, all of us. We all need some sunlight and fertilizer, especially after the past 2 years. Our gifts, big and small, are the sunlight and fertilizer for each other. Our relationship with God is part of the fertilizer we need. It helps us grow. Grow to be the sunshine others need to grow themselves.
In the last scene, Mirabel is handed a door knob to open the new home, she looks into the knob and sees her reflection.
Open your eyes, what do you see. I see me, all of me.
Why don’t we all be like Antonio, the youngest character in the movie, hand someone our door knob at AUMC, you may be helping them find a new stronger home and a place to share their gifts as well as a place to find themselves and receive the gifts of others.
Home Sweet Home
I like the new foundation
It isn’t perfect
neither are we (that’s true)
Just one more thing, before the celebration
We need a doorknob
We made this one for you……
- Liz Sabath
1 Comment
Amen!