One of the “how big is God?” questions: is God powerful enough to create me into a one-of-a-kind Kingdom person? Has He worked despite the circumstances and ups and downs of my life and given me my own recipe of experiences and gifts to accomplish is perfect Kingdom purpose for my life? Am I a cosmic mistake or depersonalized accident – or a possession of God who is fearfully and wonderfully made?
According to the God Story in Ephesians 4, when Jesus was resurrected He imparted gifts to His Kingdom followers. “But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says, ‘When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, and He gave gifts to men.”
Through belief in Jesus God’s Spirit is inside of me. I am free to turn off my pressure to perform. I can respond to and take personal responsibility for who I am fitted and gifted to be. I can reason through my life with spiritual eyes rather than merely human perspectives.
1 Corinthians 3:10-17 paints an incredible picture of what it means to live a gifted life in harmony with God’s Kingdom design for me:
“According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.”
Enjoy thinking about the Why and What of you 🙂
Dave and Burnadette
More on 1 Corinthians 3:10-17
Living by the Spirit
The Role of the Spirit
A Good Spirit Song