December 21st, 2022
Wednesday, December 21, 2022
The Gifts of God
By: Pastor Shane Beauvais
“Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God.” NRSV 1 Co 2:12
As we prepare to celebrate together this final week before Christmas, it is easy to unintentionally overlook what we have been given as blessings.
As God works through all things, I was reminded of the very gifts He has bestowed upon me through my daily living. These gifts are not the ones that are neatly wrapped underneath a Christmas tree. They are the simple gifts I utilize so often that they do not seem like much of a gift.
I woke up this morning with electricity that powered my furnace. I have oil, so I have heat. There is hot water, and I have a shower. There is food in my fridge, and I can feed my dog. I have my wife, my children, and the love of friends and neighbors. I have several pairs of shoes and different outfits, and some rarely get worn. I have a vehicle (with gas). Do you see where I am going?
As I pondered this passage, the spirit of the world prevented me from seeing that the ‘everyday’ gifts God has bestowed upon me could be considered such. However, the Spirit of God showed me otherwise. Without the influence of the Holy Spirit, we will continue to lack knowledge of God, His giftings, and his divine attributes. However, we are not in this circumstance.
The Spirit from God, not the spirit of the world, was given to us. I pray that we spend some moments this Christmas reflecting on the gifts of God that are more significant than any gift under a tree.
The Gifts of God
By: Pastor Shane Beauvais
“Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God.” NRSV 1 Co 2:12
As we prepare to celebrate together this final week before Christmas, it is easy to unintentionally overlook what we have been given as blessings.
As God works through all things, I was reminded of the very gifts He has bestowed upon me through my daily living. These gifts are not the ones that are neatly wrapped underneath a Christmas tree. They are the simple gifts I utilize so often that they do not seem like much of a gift.
I woke up this morning with electricity that powered my furnace. I have oil, so I have heat. There is hot water, and I have a shower. There is food in my fridge, and I can feed my dog. I have my wife, my children, and the love of friends and neighbors. I have several pairs of shoes and different outfits, and some rarely get worn. I have a vehicle (with gas). Do you see where I am going?
As I pondered this passage, the spirit of the world prevented me from seeing that the ‘everyday’ gifts God has bestowed upon me could be considered such. However, the Spirit of God showed me otherwise. Without the influence of the Holy Spirit, we will continue to lack knowledge of God, His giftings, and his divine attributes. However, we are not in this circumstance.
The Spirit from God, not the spirit of the world, was given to us. I pray that we spend some moments this Christmas reflecting on the gifts of God that are more significant than any gift under a tree.
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