The Potential of Each Life Conceived

Prayer-Soldier

The Potential of Each Life Conceived

Scripture:

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Before I formed you in the womb of your mother, I knew you: and before you came forth out of the womb, I sanctified you, and made you a prophet unto the nations.

You therefore gird up your loins, and arise, and speak to them all that I command you. Be not afraid at their presence: for I will make you not to fear their countenance. For behold I have made you this day a fortified city, and a pillar of iron, and a wall of brass, over all the land, to the kings of Juda, to the princes thereof, and to the priests, and to the people of the land. And they shall fight against you, and shall not prevail: for I am with you, said the Lord, to deliver you.
(Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19)

Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts. But I shall show you a still more excellent way.

If I speak in human and angelic tongues, but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails. If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing. For we know partially and we prophesy partially, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things. At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known. So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
(1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13)

And he began to say to them: This day is fulfilled this scripture in your ears. And all gave testimony to him: and they wondered at the words of grace that proceeded from his mouth, and they said: Is not this the son of Joseph? And he said to them: Doubtless you will say to me this similitude: Physician, heal yourself: as great things as we have heard done in Capharnaum, do also here in your own country. And he said: Amen I say to you, that no prophet is accepted in his own country.

In truth I say to you, there were many widows in the days of Elias in Israel, when heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there was a great famine throughout all the earth. And to none of them was Elias sent, but to Sarepta of Sidon, to a widow woman. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet: and none of them was cleansed but Naaman the Syrian. And all they in the synagogue, hearing these things, were filled with anger. And they rose up and thrust him out of the city; and they brought him to the brow of the hill, whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. But he passing through the midst of them, went his way.
(Luke 4:21-30)

Reflection:

Before God formed us in the womb, He knew the gifts and talents He would create within us. His plan is so that we may use those gifts and talents to share the blessings He has always desired for us; the blessings of love.

As we grow and mature, God leaves it to us to discover what He created in us and the purpose to which such talents may be put so that His will may be done. If we trust in Him and ask for His guidance in prayer, He will lead us to the purpose for which He created us.

If we are selfish and turn only to our desires of the world, the gifts and talents which God created within us shall remain ours for a time, but the potential of our good will be diminished and may be lost altogether. If our answer to Him is, ?My will, not Your will,? we should not be surprised at our happiness lost. His will is not to enslave us, but to free us from the misery and slavery of sin.

We should not despair if He did not make us a prophet, president, king or queen; for He does more through the lowly than those in high places. If we open our heart to Him, He will lead us to our purpose. If we trust in Him, He will lead us to do great things, often in the smallest of ways. If we understand the ways of God, we will understand that a simple act of kindness can ripple through hearts and time in ways we may never imagine. This God knows. This is why He encourages us to share the blessings of love.

If we look back through history, we must observe that God works more through the love which we share than by any design of person. Political ideologies cannot compare to what is built though the love to which God calls us. There is no greater fuel for happiness and joy.

Jesus told us that the two greatest commandments are to love God and one another as ourselves. He told us all the law and the prophets depend on these two. (cf. Matthew 22:36-40) If we reflect upon this wisdom which God shares, if we examine all which has been done; we shall see that despite all the powers of evil, it cannot compete to what can be formed and built through the power of love.

This has been the story since the early days; the people prosper as they work together and live by the commandments of the Lord. When they turn away from Him, conflict, division, and misery rules the day as lives and souls are destroyed. We might wonder, with all which history reveals, how is it we have yet to learn the lessons which God has worked so hard to teach?

God endeavors to touch our soul with His wisdom. He endeavors to open our eyes to the blessings of His ways. He works with each generation, but if a generation refuses to see, He must then work with the next. We should observe that with each child which is conceived, God introduces a new potential into the world. Our role is to fill the children of our generation with love so they may so fill the generations to follow. Our children brighten our moments. We must enable them to brighten our future.

Let us listen to the words of the prophets, for they do not speak from their wisdom, rather, they share the wisdom of God. If we are concerned that we may be deceived by false prophets and teachers; purveyors of false wisdom; then, let us ask the Holy Spirit to guide us, for the Holy Spirit was sent to remind us of all truth and all which Jesus taught. (cf. John 14:15-26) In prayer, let us open our heart so that we may receive and be blessed by the wisdom and love of God.

Questions for further reflection:

In what ways do we seek to discover the gifts and talents which God created within us?

In what ways do we seek to discover the purpose to which we may put our gifts and talents so that the will of God may be done?

In what ways may we receive the wisdom of God so we may put it into practice within our lives?

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier