1 Corinthians 1:3-7
“so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ.” vs. 7
The early Christians lived with a sense of expectation because they believed that the Lord Jesus would return and reign within their lifetimes. As time passed and he did not appear they became anxious and began to question whether he would return at all. When Paul heard that people in the congregations he had started were having those concerns he wrote to offer encouragement. In his letter to the Corinthians he gives thanks for the spiritual gifts he has seen among them, and then says that these gifts will be a blessing as they continue to wait. Since those early days of the Church, waiting has become a regular feature of our life together as followers of Jesus. In fact it’s the principle theme of Advent. Year after year we take time during these days to remember that we’re still waiting for the kingdom of God to be established on the earth. God became flesh in the birth of Jesus…but there’s still more to come. The good news is that the Holy Spirit of Jesus hangs with us in our waiting for the revealing of the Lord Jesus Christ. Through the gifts of the Spirit we can even experience the Christ for whom we wait, a delicious foretaste of the blessings yet to come. We rejoice in the present…and know that the best is yet to come!
Thought for the Day: What are my spiritual gifts?
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