Ordinary Time

Pause

Sit.

Relax.

Be still.

Let the day wait.

Now is the time to listen with intention to God.

What do you hear?

Listen

A demonstration of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good. A word of wisdom is given by the Spirit to one person, a word of knowledge to another according to the same Spirit, faith to still another by the same Spirit, gifts of healing to another in the one Spirit, performance of miracles to another, prophecy to another, the ability to tell spirits apart to another, different kinds of tongues to another, and the interpretation of the tongues to another. All these things are produced by the one and same Spirit who gives what he wants to each person.

1 Corinthians 12:7-11

Think

How often do I think my gifts belong to me? Do I think I somehow created them myself?

Paul loves the Corinthians and wants to help them understand why spiritual gifts exist and whose creation they are. Lesson #3:  My gifts are given to me from the Spirit and, not only that, the Spirit decides which gifts I am to make use of. The gifts are not for my benefit. They are for the common good.

How can I open myself up to the prompting of the Spirit to use the gifts to build up the church? Are there opportunities that I have been neglecting to take advantage of that will help me learn how to use my gifts more fully? Do I hide my gifts out of shame or a false sense of modesty? Do I envy other people’s God-given gifts? Do I covet their gifts for myself? What does God want me to do with the gifts I have been given?

Deborah Guy

Pray

Lord, help me to embrace the gifts you’ve given to me through your Spirit. Help me to remember that they’re for the common good. Strengthen my desire to use my gifts to bring you glory. Amen.

Go

Go into the world being the distribution point of all the gifts God has given you, so that the world may know God’s glory and believe.