Numbers 3:17 (ESV) 17 And these were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon and Kohath and Merari.
This last year I had the great privilege of hiring a young man for our children's ministry with a rather unusual name. After telling me a few times that his name was "Gerson" and not "Ger-san" - I finally got it right.
Gerson told me that he was from an Hispanic family and that he was named from Gershom in the Bible. I had read about the Gerson in the Bible but didn't know too much about what he did. In fact, I felt a little stupid when he asked me if I knew about Gerson in the Bible.
So Gerson (and his wife Nicole) came to work for me and are doing a fantastic job of reaching our children and their families. People still stumble over his name but for the most part we "get it" and we "get him."
So, as we were reading through our Bible passage today, the name of Gerson jumped out at me, prompting me to do a little research on his name.
The name Gershom in the Bible is not a popular name nor is it a popular name in the United States. In 1 Chronicles it is referred to as "Gerson."
In the Bible, Gershom is the first born son of Levi. He is a brother of Merari and Kohath, and father of Libni and Shimei. His family became known as the Gershonites. They were to take care of the outer coverings of the tabernacle and the curtains that marked the outer court and the altar (Numbers 3:25-26). Gershon is called Gershom in 1 Chronicles 6:16.
As I read through the definition and the root meanings of his name - I realized that his name fits him and his ministry perfectly. His people were put in charge of taking care of the tabernacle coverings and curtains. When they moved from one location to another - they were to take them down, store them and transport them. They were to maintain them so that they wouldn't leak or fall apart.
Think about that - the ministry of the Gersonites was focused. The integrity of the tabernacle was dependent on how they maintained and cared for its walls.
Gerson is one of many wonderful staff members that I have - all of which perform a different ministry in the body of Christ. Not everyone is called to minister and speak nor is everyone called to work with children, etc. But... all of us doing the assigned job that God has given us causes the body of Christ to grow and be edified.
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us...(Romans 12:3-6 NIV)
May I encourage you to discover and find the gift that God has entrusted you with. This Sunday I will be focusing on our Believe series again in regard to the subject of spiritual gifts. Also, on Saturday, March 14th we will be having another Spiritual Gifts Class at the church. I pray that you would find your gift and use it for the glory of God.
By the way Gerson and Nicolle and family - Welcome aboard!
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