While running the other day, I saw a beautiful, once-inflamed sage bush to my left. The hyper purple flowers had lost most of their luster on the plant, while the vibrant blooms scattered at my feet.

In that moment, I thought how sad it was that the plant had been beautiful, but now it stood bereft of its splendor.

Which is when God said, “Spend your splendor, Mary.”

You see, I’m sometimes guilty of hoarding my blessings. I look at the bloom of them, curry them to myself, and want to keep them in that forever spring. But God doesn’t bless us with blooms so we can pine over them. He gives them to us to display, to show His brilliance.

He asks us to spend our splendor. To receive beauty from Him, then outrageously give it away.

I do want to be spent for the sake of His kingdom. I do want to hear from Him, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” I don’t want to see a pile of my hoarded blooms burn up in light of eternity.

It may be hard, but do it anyway.

It may feel like you’re going to burn out, but God will supply more blooms. Trust Him.

The gifts He gives are to give again, in order to show this dying world that He is the splendor.

Next time you’re holding blooms to yourself, afraid to give them away, worried that they may not be enough, remember this verse. “We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves” (2 Corinthians 4:7, NLT).

He is our great treasure, our splendor. And He loves when we give Him away.

Q4U:

What prevents you today from spending your splendor?

splen·dor

[splen-der]

noun

1.

brilliant or gorgeous appearance, coloring, etc.;magnificence: the splendor of the palace.

2.

an instance or display of imposing pomp or grandeur: thesplendor of the coronation.

3.

grandeur; glory; brilliant distinction: the splendor of ancientGreek architecture.

4.

great brightness; brilliant light or luster.