“To become a Christian” sounds like an achievement, like becoming a millionaire. I thought of it rather, and think of it still, more as a lucky break, a step in the right direction.” (Buechner, Frederick. Listening to Your Life. HarperOne. Kindle Edition.)

The theme I have selected for February are the different gifts of the Spirit that Paul speaks about in his various letters.  Those gifts include: 

Romans 12: prophesying, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leadership, and mercy. The list in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 includes the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in tongues and interpretation of tongues. The list in 1 Corinthians 12:28 includes healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. 

Frederick Buechner speaks of the beginning of his “becoming” a Christian. He says: “Though I was brought up in a family where church played virtually no role at all, through a series of events from childhood on I was moved, for the most part without any inkling of it, closer and closer to a feeling for that Mystery out of which the church arose in the first place until, finally, the Mystery itself came to have a face for me, and the face it came to have for me was the face of Christ. (Buechner, Frederick. Listening to Your Life. HarperOne. Kindle Edition.)

As Christians we are to considering our spiritual gifts on a regular basis throughout our lives. Why? Because as Christians, we bear the very image of Christ to the world, and we are to see the very image of Christ in all people we meet. And that takes real strength and spiritual maturity to understand this relationship. Therefore, there are spiritual gifts inventories that you can find on the internet, and I highly recommend you complete one this year. Some inventories also give you examples of ways to utilize those gifts. But the most important thing to remember is this: the gifts we have are not ours, they are divinely given gifts given by the Spirit to be used as G-d desires.  And the gifts we have today may not be the gifts we had ten years ago, and may not be the gifts we have ten years from now. But gifts are to be used, not hoarded. And, all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit are to work together, like the members of the body (as Paul so beautifully taught, 1 Corinthians 12:12) to produce the full working of the Spirit among the members of the church.

So, February will be about the gifts of the Spirit.  Hopefully they will warm the heart and challenge the faith as we approach the season of Lent.

Pastor Dave