4 Now there are varieties of gifts but the same Spirit, 5 and there are varieties of services but the same Lord, 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 1 Corinthians 12:4-7
Have you thought of yourself as a “manifestation of the Spirit” lately? We sometimes think of individual gifts, or services we provide, or activities we are involved in as personal talents or choices or interests that we “loan” to the church. Paul is a bit of an ego-buster here. He sees these not as originating in you, but as the Spirit of God oozing through you. Kind of like the words of the songwriter Leonard Cohen – “there is a crack in everything – that’s how the light gets in”. God’s light finds its cracks in our egos and shines into the world through them.
In my short time at St. Peter’s thus far I have been impressed with the many talents and gifts present among members. This has been particularly apparent in the way members have stepped up to assume extra responsibilities in order to give Pastor Bekki this time with their new child. Some folks may have even discovered gifts they may be exercising for the first time. I am grateful for our deacons, for example, who have agreed to share in the preaching task of sharing the Good News. And when the call goes out “volunteers needed”, I’m delighted to see how quickly the list fills up. Paul says we know these are manifestations of the Spirit because they are for the “common good”. I see so many gifts employed for the common good of St. Peter’s and our Lord’s ministry here.
May is a good month to celebrate the manifestations of the Spirit. May 5 & 6 is the gathering of our Pacifica Synod Assembly. It is the opportunity to see and be manifestations of the Spirit beyond our congregation. Please keep Janine and Shawn Morrow, our delegates to the assembly, in your prayers, along with the other delegates. Then on May 28 we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, when the fire and light and breath of the Spirit finds those cracks in our lives through which it can manifest. MAY MAY MULTIPLY your MANIFESTATIONS!
Pastor Bill