“The Gift of God”

 Paul Gillies: “The Gift of God”

Jehovah is the most generous Person in the universe. He is the Giver of “every good gift and every perfect present.” And no doubt you Gilead students have thanked Jehovah many times for the numerous spiritual gifts that you have received over the past five months. I recall what one of you said in your introduction, “Gilead is an undeserved gift.”

What I would like to ask you now is, “Have you experienced over these five months ‘the gift of God’ that’s mentioned at Ecclesiastes 3:12, 13?” Let’s have a look at these verses together. Ecclesiastes 3:12, 13 says, “I have concluded that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good during their life, also that everyone should eat and drink and find enjoyment for all his hard work. It is the gift of God.”

So this verse offers a very simple formula for enjoying life if we’re blessed with good health. There is nothing better than to eat and drink and find enjoyment for hard work. Why is that? Because it is “the gift of God.” Now, as explained in verse 12, the work which produces feelings of enjoyment and satisfaction is, you’ll note, “to do good,” that is, good deeds on behalf of others. As Jesus said: “There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.”

Proverbs 8:30 also tells us that as “a master worker,” Jesus rejoiced, or as the Hebrew word for rejoice implies, he had a good time. Yes, he had a good time working with his Father over billions of years, creating the universe. Now, we may be a long way from being classed as a master worker, but all can enjoy the satisfaction that comes from doing good work in Jehovah’s service. And don’t you find that it’s this feeling itself that is a gift from God?

Now, if you’ll turn with me to Ecclesiastes chapter 5, verses 18 and 19 expand on this thought. Ecclesiastes 5:18, 19 says, “This is what I have seen to be good and proper: that one should eat and drink and find enjoyment for all the hard work at which he toils under the sun during the few days of life that the true God has given him, for that is his reward. Also, when the true God gives a man riches and material possessions along with the ability to enjoy them, he should take his reward and rejoice in his hard work. This is the gift of God.” Now, in effect, the Bible writer wisely recommends two things here: Work diligently from day to day and enjoy what you have right now. When we recognize that our prosperity is a gift from God, we get a lot of personal enjoyment from what we possess. And did you notice that twice in the passage we read, it’s stated that this enjoyment is the gift of God?

Now, in effect, the Bible writer wisely recommends two things here: Work diligently from day to day and enjoy what you have right now. When we recognize that our prosperity is a gift from God, we get a lot of personal enjoyment from what we possess. And did you notice that twice in the passage we read, it’s stated that this enjoyment is the gift of God?

Isn’t that a beautiful thought that Jehovah chooses to reward us for our hard work? And I’m sure you agree that Gilead has added an abundance of spiritual treasures to your possessions. In the coming years, you will find enjoyment again and again when you recall an explanation of a verse that you discovered during your personal study or that you gleaned from one of your instructors during a class lesson. Like travelers abroad, you have collected priceless souvenirs.

Now, if you’re still in Ecclesiastes chapter 5, let’s have a look at verse 20 because this verse explains how “the gift of God” can affect our outlook on life. It says: “For he will hardly notice [or as the footnote says, ‘remember,’ he will hardly notice] the passing days of his life, because the true God keeps him preoccupied with the rejoicing of his heart.” “Time flies” is a very common refrain here at Bethel. And isn’t that so true? When we enjoy our work, we hardly notice that our days, weeks, years, even life itself seems to fly by. Therefore, the advice is to savor the moment. As one famous quote says, “Yesterday is the past; tomorrow is the future; but today is a gift, and that is why they call it the present.”

And there are benefits to being busy. “The gift of God” can help us to protect our mental well-being. When we are preoccupied with interesting work, we don’t become unduly concerned with the brevity of life and its problems and uncertainties. Rather, we get so much enjoyment from doing good —like Jesus having a good time—that the negative aspects of life tend not to dominate our thinking. You see, we become joyful at heart. So enjoy that feeling. It is a gift from God.

Now, the past 20 weeks of schooling was hard work, wasn’t it? Your minds were stretched. Yet, hasn’t time flown by since you introduced yourselves to us on November 6 of last year? Well, now it’s time to relax—to eat and drink (in moderation, of course) with your family and friends as you reflect on your Gilead experience. So now is the time to savor the reward from Jehovah. The same wise writer also suggested a good balance between work and rest when he wrote at Ecclesiastes 4:6: “Better is a handful of rest than two handfuls of hard work.” Now think about that. A workaholic has no time or energy left to participate in restful activities that are designed to refresh and rejuvenate us. So we have to be modest about work, especially when we really love our assignments. The Bible encourages a balanced view. Work hard and enjoy the rewards.

We may thoroughly enjoy our work, but we must remember that work is even more enjoyable if we take time to relax and reflect with pleasure on that work. Now, since it’s likely that many of you will receive new and enjoyable privileges, which will increase your workload, this is good and timely advice from the Scriptures, is it not?

Now, may I invite you to turn to 2 Timothy 1:6. Because this verse conveys another positive dimension to the expression “the gift of God” as you look to future assignments. It says: “For this reason I remind you to stir up like a fire the gift of God that is in you through the laying of my hands on you.” Now if you look at the study note, it says this: “The gift that Paul here mentions seems to involve a gift of holy spirit—the imparting to Timothy of some special ability that helped him to fulfill his assignment.”

Now of course, Gilead students do not have scholastic abilities conferred upon them by God, do they? One of you even said in your introduction, “We’re just ordinary Bethelites living extraordinary lives.” Now, while that may be true, nevertheless, Gilead training has perhaps helped you to discover and nurture hidden talents that you never knew you had, true? Your instructors may have noticed if you didn’t.

All of us who enjoy service privileges like Timothy need to treasure our “gift of God.” Service privileges are expressions of Jehovah’s undeserved kindness, not a reward for months of study. In fact, all of our energies, our abilities, our talents may be viewed as gifts from Jehovah. And they have the purpose of doing good toward other people. Now, if that’s our outlook and that’s our motive, we will thoroughly enjoy our assignments. You notice too in this verse that Paul reminded Timothy “to stir up like a fire the gift of God” that was in him. No doubt you are fired up and you are ready to work hard in your assignments. But again, as explained in the study note, “‘stirring up like a fire’ implies continuous action; one scholar suggests... ‘to keep the fire burning at full flame.’” So we’re encouraged to put our heart and energy into our assignments. Be fired up, but don’t burn out.

The fire will continue to burn at full flame if we always remember to balance work and rest. So yes, the days of our life quickly pass. It’s a fact of life now, but only for now. In the new world, we will enjoy work to the full. The joy of living will get better and better, especially when we’re in perfect health. We will enjoy the pleasure also of consuming unpolluted food and drink. So enjoy life. Enjoy life with your family and friends. Enjoy all that you have now. Enjoy your assignments. Put your heart into them, but be balanced. The simple formula from Ecclesiastes will carry on for billions and billions of years, even forever. “Eat and drink and find enjoyment” for all your hard work because it is “the gift of God.”


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