Today's Devotional: The Upper Room Daily Devotional Nashville, Tennessee, United States “Not a Hummingbird?" for Monday, 30 March 2015 - Scripture: Psalm 139:13-16;Romans 12:3-8

Today's Devotional:
The Upper Room Daily Devotional Nashville, Tennessee, United States “Not a Hummingbird?" for Monday, 30 March 2015 - Scripture: Psalm 139:13 For you fashioned my inmost being,
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I thank you because I am awesomely made,
wonderfully; your works are wonders —
I know this very well.
15 My bones were not hidden from you
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes could see me as an embryo,
but in your book all my days were already written;
my days had been shaped
before any of them existed.
Romans 12:3 For I am telling every single one of you, through the grace that has been given to me, not to have exaggerated ideas about your own importance. Instead, develop a sober estimate of yourself based on the standard which God has given to each of you, namely, trust. 4 For just as there are many parts that compose one body, but the parts don’t all have the same function; 5 so there are many of us, and in union with the Messiah we comprise one body, with each of us belonging to the others. 6 But we have gifts that differ and which are meant to be used according to the grace that has been given to us. If your gift is prophecy, use it to the extent of your trust; 7 if it is serving, use it to serve; if you are a teacher, use your gift in teaching; 8 if you are a counselor, use your gift to comfort and exhort; if you are someone who gives, do it simply and generously; if you are in a position of leadership, lead with diligence and zeal; if you are one who does acts of mercy, do them cheerfully.
The psalmist wrote, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.[Psalm 139:14 (NIV)]
A beautiful purple finch was trying desperately to drink from our hummingbird feeder. Watching it furiously flap its wings in an attempt to maintain an airborne drinking position, I said, “Don’t you know you’re not a hummingbird?” Eventually the finch hurried to secure footing on a nearby tree branch. It seemed to have realized that it could not hover like a hummingbird.
Observing this finch caused me to ask myself, “How often do I attempt to be, or wish to be, something or somebody I am not?” No matter how much I have wished I had the wood-crafting talent of my two brothers or my wife’s ability to play the piano by ear, I have come to realize that these abilities are not mine. That is not the way my Creator put me together. But God has given me some talents that neither my brothers nor my wife have. In divine wisdom and grace, God made us each different.
Realizing that God has created each of us as unique individuals, we can confidently live as the people God created us to be. This means we can celebrate our personal uniqueness and search for special ways that we may effectively share that uniqueness with family, community, and church. Such celebrating and sharing can be a tangible way for us to praise and thank God for creating us the way we are.
Read more from the author, here."Milestone"

God willing, I will celebrate my 77th birthday in less than two months.
Approaching this milestone in my life provides yet another opportunity for me to give thanks to God for his provisions.
After more than 50 years serving in church music ministry, God continues to give new assignments for service. It has been my delight to transcend denominational boundaries as a church musician. My wife, Jean, and I have been blessed to serve in churches of six denominations, in eight states and Canada. We jokingly call ourselves "Lubapmethoterians." I currently serve as director of choirs at Crown of Life Lutheran Church in Sun City West, Arizona and Jean sings in the choirs.
Some 40 years ago I tried my hand at writing. Along with myriad "rejections" over 400 of my pieces have been published. God enabled and has blessed this additional ministry. Having a devotional published inThe Upper Room, (with over two million readers in over 100 countries) is a highlight in my writing ministry.
God has also blessed us with two sons, two daughters-in-law and two grandchildren who, with their personal uniqueness find meaningful avenues of Christian ministry.
Approaching my 77th birthday, I continue to make this Charles Wesley hymn stanza (from the hymn "A Charge to Keep I Have") my prayer:
"To serve the present age, My calling to fulfill;
O may it all my powers engage To do my Master's will."
It is also my prayer that each of us will celebrate our God-given uniqueness, using that uniqueness to make a positive difference in the lives of others. What are some of your unique opportunities?[Roger Wayne HicksThe Author: Roger Wayne Hicks (Arizona, USA)]
Thought for the Day: Our uniqueness is a living example of God’s boundless grace.
Prayer: Marvelous Creator, help us to celebrate our uniqueness and to use it to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Amen.
Prayer focus: Those Seeking A Way To Serve

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