“Now concerning
spiritual gifts, my friends, I do not want you to be uninformed…” – 1
Corinthians 12:1
Gifts
are nice, but they’re not all something we can use. Some are things you can wear or hang on a
wall or display on a shelf. Some you can
read, listen to, or watch with a Blu-Ray player. Some gifts are just right for…well,
re-gifting is always an option. But some
gifts can change your life. I received a
nice backpack for Christmas this year, one that had been on my wish list for a
long time. It was there because I know I
need to be more active. I imagined
loading it up with my laptop and papers, strapping it on and riding my bike to
work. I never dreamed someone would
actually get it for me (thanks, mom!), but as
soon as I opened it up I realized I had no more excuses. The day after Christmas, I rode my bike into
work.
Way
before there was a Santa, people of faith knew God as the great Gift-Giver.
God gives life, love, family, breath, health, food, and everything else
needed for this world. Then, of course,
the most precious of all the gifts is our Savior Jesus, who comes to offer us
salvation. But many people who celebrate
these obvious gifts of God are still in the dark about spiritual gifts.
Spiritual gifts are not a secret, but they
can be hidden. Scripture mentions
them numerous times – in Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 28; Ephesians
4:11 and 1 Peter 4:11 – but some people have never heard of them. In each passage you will find a different
list of what those gifts are, but the idea is the same. All Christians have spiritual gifts. Each of us has a different mix of those gifts. We are most happy and fulfilled when we are
using our gifts (rather than hiding them under a bushel basket). They can’t be re-gifted (some people covet
other people’s gifts, but all gifts are equally noble and equally needed).
Here at
Atonement, we are excited about helping
people find their spiritual gifts.
We have an inventory you can take that will tell you what your strongest
gifts are. Maybe you took a DNA test
with ancestry.com and discovered how you were put together genetically. Well, this inventory will tell you something
about how you’re wired spiritually. Just
like a DNA test, some of what you discover you may have known before, but you
may be in for some surprises as well.
Knowing
your gifts can help you find direction
in life. These are gifts to be
picked up and used, not hung on a wall or set on a shelf. Knowing your gifts
helps you know where you can serve others best, and be happiest doing it. Knowing your gifts is a great feeling because
you realize you have something important to share with the world, and will
probably discover you’ve been doing it all along. Finding your spiritual gift can even help you
feel more connected and engaged with the church.
St. Paul
connects the concept of spiritual gifts with the idea that the Church is the
Body of Christ. We all fit together,
work together, and need each other. We
are made for each other, literally.
Whatever your role as a functioning part of Christ’s body – however you
serve – your contribution helps those around you as they contribute their
parts. Maybe you serve by helping behind
the scenes, or using arts and crafts.
Maybe your gift is prayer or building up the faith of others. Maybe you’re really good at fixing things,
making things, planning things… Maybe
its music or public speaking you’re good at, or maybe you’d rather die than be
in front of people. Whatever your gift happens to be, it is valuable and needed. We all need each other to be the community of
Christ that we’re called to become.
So to
help you unwrap your spiritual gifts, we invite you to join us for one of three
Spiritual Gifts workshops we are
offering this season. Each of them will
provide you the opportunity to take the spiritual gift inventory, and go over
the results. We will discuss what you
found, and even talk about possible steps you might take to put your gifts into
action. We will look at some of our
ministries at Atonement, and how your gifts might fit into their work and
mission. And most important, we will
pray for you and your spiritual journey with Christ that you might reach a new
level of meaningful purpose and grow even closer to the God who loves you
completely.
So
please check your calendar to see if you can attend one of these three
Spiritual Gift workshops coming soon:
Saturday January 12 11am-1pm
Sunday February 3 11:15am
-1:15pm
Friday February 8 1:30pm-3:30pm
Be open to the Holy Spirit, and you may find the Holy
Spirit opening your eyes and heart in a new way. Come join us for a journey of discovery…and
find the gifts that are just waiting for you to unwrap.
Peace,
Pastor Scott
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