And God said, let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. – Genesis 1:9-10

On the third day, we see God gather the waters below the heavens into one place and when he does so, the dry land became visible. Obviously, the dry land was already there (created in verse 1), but was submerged uselessly under water. Water on dry ground in the Bible is symbolic of death (2 Sam 14:14).

Life Returns

As the waters covered the dry land, so too have we all been partakers of death (Romans 5:12) through Adam’s sin. Since then, God has been busy working towards reconciliation through Christ so that the exiled are not cast away forever. Like dry land appearing when the waters were gathered, so too will new life appear when we accept Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross. As God gathered the waters to one place so that it no longer overruns the land, so too is He able to gather all the troubles and tribulations that overwhelm us. That is why we are admonished to come to Him if the cares of this life are overburdening us, and we shall find rest (Matthew 11:28).

Why was it important to gather the waters to one place? The dry land needed to appear so that all the beasts of the field, birds of the air, and man could be formed, that they might feed and have a place to live. Note that the land had been created in Genesis 1:1, but was covered by waters following God’s judgment on the rebellion (see Amos 5:24). The land had tremendous potential, but as long as it was buried under the waters, it was redundant and had no real value. Perhaps you are a talented person, greatly gifted by God, but your ability is buried under so much burden and trouble. You know that you are—and could be—better, but you just cannot find it in you to make the necessary moves. Or perhaps you do not know how to be better. Either way, come to Jesus. He said to us, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me” (Matthew 11:29). I believe we can learn not only humility, but also every other characteristic we need from Him. He will guide us into how to realize the potential within us since He put it there in the first place.

Maybe you feel you have no talents, then, let me assure you that everyone has a talent. Why do I say that? Consider the ground where you stand. That hunk of dirt or rock is worth something. Every piece of earth is good for one thing or the other. If there is no oil, gold or coal in it, there will be nutrients for agriculture or even water if you dig deep enough. Consider the human body. No part is useless. Cutting off any particular limb may not kill you, but you will never function the same again.

You have a talent, my friend, and by not utilizing it, your generation gets a bad deal. Not using your skills for God will not destroy His Church, but it will affect the quality and reach of the message of salvation.

Perhaps you have convinced yourself that your circumstances are different, that God will understand. Things are just too difficult. When God blesses you, then you will make a move. Well, my friend let me assure you: if you do not move, your problems are not going away. No one is perfect. We all have our troubles, and our afflictions are many as Psalm 34:19 puts it, but God will deliver us out of them all. Even the great apostle Paul had a thorn in his flesh and had struggles with his bodily desires (2 Corinthians 12:7, Romans 7:22-24). Despite these troubles, God has given us the mandate to minister to the world. That is what the Bible means about the kingdom suffering violence (Matthew 11:12-20). We need to press on in the face of obstacles and past failures. Do not let your troubles kill your dreams, and neither let your cares in this life shipwreck your destiny. You do have an appointment with destiny. That is why you were born. You are not insignificant. Before you were conceived God already knew you and gave you an appointment with destiny. Do not be afraid, do not hide, God has appointed you for victory in His name.

Indeed, you will not be defeated if you go in His name, and you will neither be overrun nor ashamed. He has given you authority to exercise dominion over all creation (Genesis 1:28), and the power to become the sons of God (John 1:12). Do not let troubles bury and kill your God-given talents, but look to Him for strength to release the ability and goodness in you. As you do so, the gift will make a way for you in life and bring you before great men (Proverbs 18:16).

There was a time in my life when nothing seemed to work. I had just moved into a new country, had few friends, and work progressed at a snail’s pace. I spent every available moment at the office and didn’t bother to do any witnessing or serious Bible study. I was waiting for a time when things would work right so I could spare time for God and ministry. Well, things never really worked right until I came to the point where I didn’t really care anymore. I realized that the most important thing for me was what God wanted me to do, which should take priority. So I started studying and writing again, and soon enough, every other area of my life started picking up.

Why am I writing this? It is to encourage you, there is never a perfect moment, only a right moment—now. We should unearth those buried talents and put them to use for God, and He will in turn unearth all our dead and buried blessings. Let all the waters in our lives be gathered unto one place and let our God-given talents emerge to the glory of His name.

Amen