One of the marvels of this
incredible, shrinking world of ours is that we see up-close the incredible,
expanding church of Christ. At two weekly Bible studies I attend, believers have
come from or gone to places all over
the world—Malaysia, Indonesia, Burkina-Faso, Slovenia, Peru, China, Nigeria,
Thailand, India, Taiwan and Japan, to name a few. All these faces representing
all these nations reflect this beautiful prophecy fulfilled: “I will give them
singleness of heart and action” (Jeremiah 32:39). From continents and cultures around the globe, we share in new life in Christ Jesus
and the call to reach others in His name.
What’s fascinating, then—and fun to watch—is how God creates a new diversity among a united us, for His Spirit uniquely gifts each believer for the common good. Take Iris*, for instance. Here from a foreign country to study economics, she found new life in Christ. Now from this leader flows a healing compassion for those who hurt, and the gift of intercession as she earnestly prays for them. Then there’s Rhonda—a friendly “force of nature” whose unquenchable zeal for the salvation of souls is sourced in the Spirit of God working through her in power. Eric is a proclaimer, boldly and joyfully sharing the gospel of Christ and letting its truth produce fruit for itself.
I could go on, and so could you, with example after example of how God calls and gifts His redeemed people for His glory and our good. For the one Spirit He has placed in all of us will accomplish His purposes through each of us. It is evidence of yet another prophecy fulfilled in Christ—In that day you will say: “Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world” (Isaiah 12:4, 5).
And so we have, and still we are.
Father, seeing you at work around me increases my desire for you to work through me. Yet more important still is that you be glorified through the body of Christ, your own people loving and serving with singularity of heart and action. May this be so today. Amen.
Christ in me is holiness.
Read today’s Scripture in Isaiah 12:1-6.
*Names have been changed.
What’s fascinating, then—and fun to watch—is how God creates a new diversity among a united us, for His Spirit uniquely gifts each believer for the common good. Take Iris*, for instance. Here from a foreign country to study economics, she found new life in Christ. Now from this leader flows a healing compassion for those who hurt, and the gift of intercession as she earnestly prays for them. Then there’s Rhonda—a friendly “force of nature” whose unquenchable zeal for the salvation of souls is sourced in the Spirit of God working through her in power. Eric is a proclaimer, boldly and joyfully sharing the gospel of Christ and letting its truth produce fruit for itself.
I could go on, and so could you, with example after example of how God calls and gifts His redeemed people for His glory and our good. For the one Spirit He has placed in all of us will accomplish His purposes through each of us. It is evidence of yet another prophecy fulfilled in Christ—In that day you will say: “Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world” (Isaiah 12:4, 5).
And so we have, and still we are.
Father, seeing you at work around me increases my desire for you to work through me. Yet more important still is that you be glorified through the body of Christ, your own people loving and serving with singularity of heart and action. May this be so today. Amen.
Christ in me is holiness.
Read today’s Scripture in Isaiah 12:1-6.
*Names have been changed.
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