Sunday, January 17, 2016

Variety of Gifts and Same God

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, you were enticed and led astray to idols that could not speak. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says "Let Jesus be cursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit.
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Variety of Gifts

You are shaped and shaded so different from me
we are sisters and brothers all with the same heart
we are bent and broken by a very violent world
we are all mended by one gracious act of love.

Love entered the world as bloody as we
took our shape and frame and existence
took the lashes abuse and the world's shame
so we are blessed with all manner  of gifts.

You and are are sent out together entwined
branches and leaves of the same compassionate heart
born of water and spirit and tested in crisis
still renewed and saved by the same act of love.

I cannot put you off anymore than shed my skin
you cannot reject me and be done with me
we are made whole as we rely on one another
as we make good our promises to be God's people.

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