Moroni Post 3 - "The Gift of His Calling Unto Me"

2 And now I, Mormon, speak unto you, my beloved brethren; and it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, and his holy will, because of the gift of his calling unto me, that I am permitted to speak unto you at this time.

(Book of Mormon | Moroni 7:2)

Moroni refers to his calling from God as a gift.  That is worth pondering.  We often think of our callings from God as our gifts to Him.  Really can we give a gift to God?  There is nothing we can give Him that He does not already have.  He doesn't need our efforts but we do need to put forth our efforts for Him.  A calling from God extends to us a gift that draws us closer to Him and enables us to act through His power and grace and come one step closer to coming into His presence by performing His work.  

Previously in verse 3 Moroni coupled gifts and callings with priesthood ordination.  

4 And after this manner did they ordain priests and teachers, according to the gifts and callings of God unto men; and they ordained them by the power of the Holy Ghost, which was in them.

(Book of Mormon | Moroni 3:4)

The phrase "gifts and callings of God unto men" appears in varying forms three times in the Doctrine and Covenants, all three in relationship to priesthood ordination and referencing the power of the Holy Ghost.   It seems that callings that come through priesthood ordinations (meaning those either issued by or perform by those ordained) are inextricably entwined with the gifts of the spirit and the power of the Holy Ghost.  

God wants to bestow gifts upon us - the gift of the Holy Ghost, the gift of ordinances and covenants, the gift of our opportunities to serve in callings, the gift of the commandments, the gift of the scriptures, the gift (and gifts) of the spirit, the gift of His Son. All of these gifts lead to one purpose - to return home, to enter into His rest, to come into the Presence of the Lord.  Every calling we receive*, should we choose to accept it and magnify it, brings us one step closer. We are all called but do we all choose to act in that calling?  

The word gift is defined as "a thing given willingly to someone without payment" or as "a natural ability or talent."  We cannot ever repay God for the gifts he bestows upon us.  We are unprofitable servants.  We are fully the receiver.  It is only through God's gifts that we can obtain unto eternal life.  Also those talents or natural abilities that we each have are bestowed upon us by God as are our very lives.

*Callings come to us in a formal manner through those ordained to the priesthood and also through the whisperings of the spirit that come into our hearts through the gift of the Holy Ghost which has been given to us previously through priesthood power.