Monday 01 November 2021
Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
Just an ordinary Rock?
I write this blog after being on one of our favourite beaches at Sandsend Whitby. It wasn’t really what you call a beach day as the forecast was rain, and rain it did. But after several hours reading and preparing written work for interviews next month to become an accredited minister, fresh air was much needed. The tide was coming in as we walked down the beach and we were drawn to collect rocks for the garden. These were of different shapes and sizes, many perfectly rounded by the motion of the seas and the colours were vibrant: jet black, bright reds, gold and pearl white with threads of colour and like all precious gemstones, we could have filled buckets as they looked so amazing.
Later in the afternoon I went into the kitchen where Jane had laid out the rocks. I wondered where the ones that looked like precious gemstones had gone, as there was just a pile of ordinary looking stones. They looked ok, but nothing like when we found them, the difference was the water!
When they were soaked in water it brought out the best in them, they were extraordinary and stood out, but when they were dry, they were just ordinary stones!
I reflected on this and thought isn’t that just what the work of the Holy Spirit is like in you and me, he takes what is ordinary and is upon us, alongside us, and within us. When we are filled with the Spirit he overflows, so his work inside of us shows on the outside. He equips us with Spiritual gifts way beyond our natural abilities, and we become extraordinary, the same person in many ways, but distinctively changed for the Glory of God.
Paul writing to the Corinthian church where there seemed to be an emphasis and prestige given to people with certain gifts, reminded them that there are different kinds of gifts, service and ways of them working, but all of them are signs of God at work.
Every born-again believer, follower of Jesus is gifted and like our rocks they are very different and unique, but when covered in water (the Spirit), they are extraordinary, “to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is give for the common good” 1 Cor 12 v 7 .
God has a given you a gift to use. It maybe still in the gift-wrapping, awaiting discovery stage, but God distributes them to each one as HE determines and one thing for sure is whatever that gift is,
Try not to get lost in comparing yourself to others. Discover your gifts and let them shine!