Remembering I Belong in God’s Family (1 Corinthians 12)

Evening Scripture

1 Corinthians, Chapter 12

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. 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 as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body — whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free — and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. And yet I will show you the most excellent way.

Evening Reflection

The enemy of our soul seeks to steal, kill, and destroy from our lives. He loves to isolate us, making us feel useless and alone. We cannot let these lies separate us from the body of Christ.

When we become a follower of Jesus, we are adopted into his family. We are sons and daughters of the king. He has a plan and a purpose for our lives. He made us with special gifts and talents that we are to use for God’s glory. Whenever you start feeling useless, superfluous, or divided from God’s body of believers, the enemy is at work. You matter in God’s Kingdom. He has a hope, future, plan, and purpose for your life!

Busyness can distract us from seeing how valuable we are to God’s Kingdom. When our focus is on the next urgent thing, we can forget that we are part of the body of Christ. God wants to use you every day to show his light and love to this world.

If you are struggling with your purpose and role, remember the truth that is laid out in God’s word: you are an integral part of God’s body. We have to do all that we can to live in unity with other Christ followers, keeping our focus on Jesus and sharing his good news with others.

How can you be a person who lives and works in unity with others in the body of Christ? How can you encourage those with other gifts and talents? Get excited about how you can be part of what God is doing.

Evening Prayer

Father,

I thank you that you made me with a plan and a purpose. You have called me to be part of your beautiful body. Each of us has a calling and each matters in your kingdom. Silence any lies of the enemy that would lead me to believe that I am alone, useless, and not valuable in God’s Kingdom. Help me to stay focused on how I can live in unity with other believers and point the lost to Jesus. Don’t let me get distracted by life’s demands, but help me live each day with purpose. I thank you that I belong in your family.

Amen.

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