God’s gifted gift
There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit gives them. There are different ways of serving, but the same Lord is served. There are different abilities to perform service, but the same God gives ability to all for their particular service. The Spirit’s presence is shown in some way in each person for the good of all. (verses 4-7)
Greetings, my gifted fellow Christian! For that is what you are.
There are no exceptions. Everyone who is a Christian is a person who has been gifted by God for serving the church in a very special way. Everyone. Even you. Especially you.
So no-one can say that they wish they had something they could offer their church. Each of us has the gift God has given us. I hear people say, ‘But I’m not gifted like other people’. And they’re probably right.
Because we do not have to be gifted like other people. We are already gifted in the way God has chosen us to be. He is the one who allocates gifts, and he does it on the basis of what our church needs rather than what we might prefer to have. He is the one who knows what is needed. He is the one who makes sure needs are met. In you and me.
So it isn’t a case of asking whether we have gifts. It’s rather a case of recognising that we do have gifts, finding them, and using them in service of Jesus, in his body, the church.
Father, help me to accept myself as you have made me to be – a person gifted for service in your church. Amen.
by Bob Turnbull, in ‘New Strength for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 1998)
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