Gifts

If I had the wisdom of Solomon
Or had the integrity of Joseph–
Or Samson’s strength would be enough–
If I had the valor of Gideon–
If only I had the faith of Daniel
Or the authority of Elijah–
Had I the discernment of Deborah,
Eliezer’s guidance at the well,
Or others not enumerated here,
There’s one more thing of You I would ask:
All of the gifts You give me would adhere
To Your will and the plan You have amassed
Through Christ. And with the Holy Spirit near
You give me daily dole for my own task.

Day 6

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone…All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills (1 Corinthians 12:4-6, 11).

Some people believe we have access to all the gifts of the Spirit once we are believers, and the only thing keeping us from any of these gifts is our own faith–or lack thereof. If someone has the ability to perform all the gifts, praise God. But if someone has the ability to perform one or two or three, praise God. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” The point is that whatever we do in the Spirit, God meant us to fulfill our purpose that way. We can’t perform any of the spiritual gifts without the Spirit, so praise God.

Now there are those who have been given the ability and have not utilized it, but not everyone has the same gifts. Do not use this statement as an excuse to judge someone who does not speak in tongues or does not prophesy. As an officer of Intervarsity in college, another Christian group invited a fellow officer and me to their meeting to tell us that we were not saved because we did not speak in tongues. A person can be somewhat skilled at many things, or they can be specialists in one thing. But every believer has at least one thing. Jesus’ parable of the talents tells us it’s also up to us what happens to these gifts once we have them (Matthew 25:14-40). We can invest them and gain increase, or we can bury them. I like the double-meaning of the English translation of being given talents.

A wise friend told me that humility is knowing God can do anything with you He wants at any time He wants. What if we lived like that every day in the Spirit? What could God do with that?

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