Empty handed

Exodus 34:20b

       No one shall appear before me empty-handed.

   
     Yesterday I noted that we all have inputs and influences in ( on?) our lives. I then added, that such graces may not make us who we are as much as they are graces to help us discover who we are.  Our true selves, the vision God holds from the moment our existence was conceived in her mind. 

     The line from Exodus that jumped out at me today is similar to what I wrote yesterday, it can be viewed two ways. On the first take you can correctly say that we should never appear before God without a gift, at the very least, appreciation and thanks. In some churches, you can dispense with the thanks and appreciation as long as your tithe ( 10% of income ) is presented as a gift 'to God' in the basket.  But I digress. Again.  The other way to view this line from Exodus is that none of us are left without the gifts and graces of God. No one is empty handed because we are all graced with all the types of things I mentioned yesterday. Influences, graces, experiences. We are so graced in our lives with people and things. Again, no one is empty handed.  I guess it is totally fitting that we return to God no less than what God has given us. A theological paying it forward if you will. God graces us and so we gift back to God. And we know that by caring for "the least of these little ones" we are saying thank you and loving God.  All our brothers and sisters, the planet, are all "the least of these little ones".

        When I find a common thread in scripture or prayer, I think it is God tapping me on the shoulder for me to make note of something important or that I am being asked to do something.  Sometimes like St. Francis I do a bit of spinning before I ascertain what it is I am to do. But then I do it.

       One thing I know right now, I feel the need to assess and take stock of my gifts, graces and talents.  I suppose I could, as an exercise, physically write them down. Sounds like a good journal entry. It also is a fine prayer to keep thinking about all the stuff God has graced us with. A prelude to what God really wants me to do but also a fine method of appreciation and saying thank you to God.

       No one is empty handed.