You can listen to this reflection here. Sunday's gospel reading is here.
The gospels tell us that there were times when Jesus was “filled with the Spirit.” Were there times he was not? Or were there times when that anointing was stronger than others? Luke writes that, after Jesus' baptism and forty-day testing in the desert he was filled with holy power: Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country.
If Jesus, whom we claim was at once fully divine and fully human, needed to be filled with the Spirit of God – his own Spirit – to be effective in ministry, what does that say about us? Too often I try to minister on my own steam. If you have a lot of energy and ideas, your own steam can take you a distance. But nothing like when you're powered by God-Spirit. I’m at my best when I realize “I got nothing” in the face of a given challenge, and invite God’s power and love to be realized through me.
How can we tell the difference? We all need to learn to discern that. We can start with, “Did I ask the Spirit to fill me, or guide me, or help me?” The Spirit of God blows where it will, Jesus said, but rarely seems to show up uninvited. When we develop the practice of inviting the Spirit into our ministries we will find ourselves empowered in a new way. We might even pray through our calendar at the beginning of each day or week, asking the Spirit to be present with us in the tasks ahead. (We can also pray that God remove obstacles to the free flow of Holy Spirit in us – that’s the work of repentance and healing.)
We can learn to attend to how we feel in our bodies when the Holy Spirit fills us. We might feel a discernible energy, sometimes an excited joy, sometimes a deep peace that clearly comes from beyond us. I feel it when I’m praying with someone for healing, often when I am singing, or when I’m preaching or leading worship. There can be an effect on our minds too – most of the time, if I pray, “God, I need an idea for…” an insight or idea pops into my mind almost immediately, almost as if dictated. Why I don’t always ask?!
Sometimes we know the Spirit's filling after the fact. I can feel incredibly energized, buzzy, especially when I know the Spirit has been present and people have felt more connected to God and each other. If I feel drained, I’m pretty sure I was working on my own steam. If I feel lifted up and full of joy, there’s a good chance God was working through me. Exhaustion may come later – we’re human – but we don’t feel drained.
And when it’s the Spirit, we know by the fruits. Lives are transformed. Systems are unjammed. Creativity and joy flow more fully. Some Sundays I am blessed that way, as I feel people connecting to God in worship, and responding to the world in outreach. A huge part of my ministry as a pastor is to increase my congregants’ capacity to be filled with the Spirit. For when the Body of Christ is filled with the power of the Spirit, you can be sure that reports about him will spread through all the surrounding country.
© Kate Heichler, 2025. To receive Water Daily by email each morning, subscribe here. Here are the bible readings for next Sunday. Water Daily is also a podcast – subscribe to it here on Apple, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.
Showing posts with label spiritual gifts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spiritual gifts. Show all posts
5-16-24 - The Gift Who Keeps On Giving
You can listen to this reflection here. Sunday's gospel reading is here.
Among the Spirit's blessings promised us as saints of God are spiritual gifts. These are Spirit-given abilities that help the church carry out the mission of God. As such they are distinct from talents and abilities we are born with or train for. Sometimes our spiritual gifts overlap with our natural talents, as with musicians who also help lead worship music, or talented speakers who also preach, or naturally gregarious people who also have a gift of evangelism. But sometimes spiritual gifts are abilities we discover we have or others notice in us - say, an accountant who happens to be a wonderful Sunday School teacher. We discover them because they bear fruit.
We find several lists of spiritual gifts in New Testament letters by Paul and Peter (though Peter’s list might be cribbed from Paul…). The more obvious are ones like teaching, healing, preaching, evangelism. There are others, listed and not: prophecy, discernment of spirits, speaking in tongues, administration, compassion, generosity. Where spiritual gifts overlap with talents or traits we have, we identify them as spiritual gifts if they help the church proclaim and share the Good News of life in Jesus Christ, and sometimes by the intensity with which we manifest that gift. For instance, many people are generous; but someone with the spiritual gift of "giving" gives abundantly and with such joy and often in situations where their gift makes all the difference. Many people are well organized, but someone with the spiritual gift of administration is able to facilitate the ministries of the whole group for mission.
What are some spiritual gifts that you are aware of having received? What ministries do they empower you to live out? When did they surface? Sometimes when our circumstances change, such as when we retire or become empty nesters, new gifts emerge for ministries we are now able to do. What gifts have others identified in you, that you may not have thought you had?
It’s also good to look at our “gift mixes.” Taking an inventory of our spiritual gifts and seeing how they combine can point us to ministries. (Here are Methodist, Lutheran and other online inventories; there are more.) Someone with a gift of healing and compassion (beyond the average) might be called to minister to people on the streets, or someone with a gift for teaching and music to lead choirs.
St. Paul wrote a lot about spiritual gifts, because he wanted his churches to know that God equips us for every ministry to which God calls us. He wanted them to crave the gifts – and to recognize that they are all Spirit-given and equally important. To the Corinthians, who were very keen on certain “flashier” gifts, he wrote, “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” He enumerates some of the diverse gifts for ministry, concluding, “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” (I Corinthians 12:4-11)
Paul also reminded his readers that there’s no point being spiritually gifted if we’re lacking in love. That’s what that famous hymn to love read at weddings is really about – how to exercise the gifts of the Spirit in community, a community that is to be marked by love.
The gifts of the Spirit are gifts, not assets or rewards. We cannot buy or earn them, but we can pray for the ones we believe we want or need. We can trust the Spirit to give us what we need to live fully into God's purposes for us.
© Kate Heichler, 2024. To receive Water Daily by email each morning, subscribe here. Here are the bible readings for next Sunday. Water Daily is also a podcast – subscribe to it here on Apple, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.
Among the Spirit's blessings promised us as saints of God are spiritual gifts. These are Spirit-given abilities that help the church carry out the mission of God. As such they are distinct from talents and abilities we are born with or train for. Sometimes our spiritual gifts overlap with our natural talents, as with musicians who also help lead worship music, or talented speakers who also preach, or naturally gregarious people who also have a gift of evangelism. But sometimes spiritual gifts are abilities we discover we have or others notice in us - say, an accountant who happens to be a wonderful Sunday School teacher. We discover them because they bear fruit.
We find several lists of spiritual gifts in New Testament letters by Paul and Peter (though Peter’s list might be cribbed from Paul…). The more obvious are ones like teaching, healing, preaching, evangelism. There are others, listed and not: prophecy, discernment of spirits, speaking in tongues, administration, compassion, generosity. Where spiritual gifts overlap with talents or traits we have, we identify them as spiritual gifts if they help the church proclaim and share the Good News of life in Jesus Christ, and sometimes by the intensity with which we manifest that gift. For instance, many people are generous; but someone with the spiritual gift of "giving" gives abundantly and with such joy and often in situations where their gift makes all the difference. Many people are well organized, but someone with the spiritual gift of administration is able to facilitate the ministries of the whole group for mission.
What are some spiritual gifts that you are aware of having received? What ministries do they empower you to live out? When did they surface? Sometimes when our circumstances change, such as when we retire or become empty nesters, new gifts emerge for ministries we are now able to do. What gifts have others identified in you, that you may not have thought you had?
It’s also good to look at our “gift mixes.” Taking an inventory of our spiritual gifts and seeing how they combine can point us to ministries. (Here are Methodist, Lutheran and other online inventories; there are more.) Someone with a gift of healing and compassion (beyond the average) might be called to minister to people on the streets, or someone with a gift for teaching and music to lead choirs.
St. Paul wrote a lot about spiritual gifts, because he wanted his churches to know that God equips us for every ministry to which God calls us. He wanted them to crave the gifts – and to recognize that they are all Spirit-given and equally important. To the Corinthians, who were very keen on certain “flashier” gifts, he wrote, “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” He enumerates some of the diverse gifts for ministry, concluding, “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” (I Corinthians 12:4-11)
Paul also reminded his readers that there’s no point being spiritually gifted if we’re lacking in love. That’s what that famous hymn to love read at weddings is really about – how to exercise the gifts of the Spirit in community, a community that is to be marked by love.
The gifts of the Spirit are gifts, not assets or rewards. We cannot buy or earn them, but we can pray for the ones we believe we want or need. We can trust the Spirit to give us what we need to live fully into God's purposes for us.
© Kate Heichler, 2024. To receive Water Daily by email each morning, subscribe here. Here are the bible readings for next Sunday. Water Daily is also a podcast – subscribe to it here on Apple, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.
4-26-22 - God On the Sidelines
You can listen to this reflection here. Sunday's gospel reading is here.
Simon Peter was a professional fisherman before Jesus called him from his nets. He knew his way around a boat, a net, a lake, a school of fish. He knew how to do this – except that night, nothing. All night, no fish. And then some yahoo on the shore tries to tell him how do to it.
Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish.
I can imagine the language in that boat at this suggestion. “We’ve cast the nets on every *&@#%* side of the boat! Who is this guy?” And then perhaps more colorful language yet as their nets inexplicably become so full they could hardly move the boat.
Many of us have areas of our lives in which we don’t think we need God’s assistance. I often hear people say, “I don’t need to bother God with that!” or “We’re not at the point of needing prayer yet…” as though we're to deploy the “big guns” only as a last resort.
But God doesn’t want to be on the sidelines of our lives – God wants to be right smack dab in the middle of our work, rest, relationships, joys, frustrations, questions, convictions. Indeed, God wants to be working with us and through us. And could it be that the One who made all universes knows a thing or two about teaching, medicine, tax preparation, fundraising, marketing, finance, law, or whatever it is we do for a living? What if we invited God’s presence at regular intervals into our work days? Someone I know was facing a tense work meeting – and remembered to invite Jesus. The meeting went better than she could have imagined, and the relationship with that co-worker is prospering.
The Holy Spirit can help us in all our relationships, our stresses, our habits. And – surprise! – God can help us in our churches and ministries. We don’t have to put prayer and worship on one side and the “work of the church” on the other. It’s all of a piece. It’s all holy work, as we allow the Holy Spirit into it.
What is most frustrating to you in your life right now? Where do you feel stuck, jammed, not moving, not growing, in the dark, out to sea? Could it be that Jesus is nearby? Might he have a word to you? Have you asked his guidance? That can be scary – what if he doesn’t answer? Then we ask again.
Jesus said something about wanting us to be fruitful, so I’m guessing he will have a word to guide us. Maybe he’s already speaking it through someone we don’t want to listen to – and that might include our own deepest selves.
What if he’s already given us the answer? What “expertise” do we need to let go of in order to hear it?
Simon Peter was a professional fisherman before Jesus called him from his nets. He knew his way around a boat, a net, a lake, a school of fish. He knew how to do this – except that night, nothing. All night, no fish. And then some yahoo on the shore tries to tell him how do to it.
Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish.
I can imagine the language in that boat at this suggestion. “We’ve cast the nets on every *&@#%* side of the boat! Who is this guy?” And then perhaps more colorful language yet as their nets inexplicably become so full they could hardly move the boat.
Many of us have areas of our lives in which we don’t think we need God’s assistance. I often hear people say, “I don’t need to bother God with that!” or “We’re not at the point of needing prayer yet…” as though we're to deploy the “big guns” only as a last resort.
But God doesn’t want to be on the sidelines of our lives – God wants to be right smack dab in the middle of our work, rest, relationships, joys, frustrations, questions, convictions. Indeed, God wants to be working with us and through us. And could it be that the One who made all universes knows a thing or two about teaching, medicine, tax preparation, fundraising, marketing, finance, law, or whatever it is we do for a living? What if we invited God’s presence at regular intervals into our work days? Someone I know was facing a tense work meeting – and remembered to invite Jesus. The meeting went better than she could have imagined, and the relationship with that co-worker is prospering.
The Holy Spirit can help us in all our relationships, our stresses, our habits. And – surprise! – God can help us in our churches and ministries. We don’t have to put prayer and worship on one side and the “work of the church” on the other. It’s all of a piece. It’s all holy work, as we allow the Holy Spirit into it.
What is most frustrating to you in your life right now? Where do you feel stuck, jammed, not moving, not growing, in the dark, out to sea? Could it be that Jesus is nearby? Might he have a word to you? Have you asked his guidance? That can be scary – what if he doesn’t answer? Then we ask again.
Jesus said something about wanting us to be fruitful, so I’m guessing he will have a word to guide us. Maybe he’s already speaking it through someone we don’t want to listen to – and that might include our own deepest selves.
What if he’s already given us the answer? What “expertise” do we need to let go of in order to hear it?
2-1-22 - Experts
You can listen to this reflection here. Sunday's gospel reading is here.
Would a Wall Street whiz take financial tips from a wizard? A maestro adopt singing techniques from a Zen master? An athlete take coaching from an ascetic? Why on earth would a lifelong fisherman who knows his home waters like his own face take angling advice from an itinerant rabbi?
Jesus got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.”
What exhaustion and exasperation Simon must have felt. When the fish aren’t biting, they’re not biting – or in this case, swimming into your nets. Try again tomorrow. They’d already come home, were already cleaning their nets. Why go out again now? And what does this guy know about it?
But Simon agrees. He calls Jesus “Master.” Is he already a follower of Jesus? The Gospel of John tells us that Simon’s brother Andrew met Jesus first, became convinced he was the long-awaited Messiah, and brought Simon to meet him. Perhaps a relationship is already growing; perhaps Jesus has set the bait and is just waiting for Simon to bite. Whether out of trust or politeness, Simon heads back out into the deep waters and lets down the nets.
Have you ever felt an instruction from Jesus, a Holy Spirit nudge? Did you act on it? What happened? It can be hard to hear or respond when these nudges come in areas where we are experts. Even clergy, who are supposed to be moving on the winds of the Spirit all the time, can become so locked into our techniques and patterns that we are slow to respond in new ways, to even see that God is offering new opportunities, new places to set our nets. But everyone can find themselves working more effectively and grace-fully when we invite Jesus to be part of our work – teachers, doctors, actors, lawyers… God wants to work through us, especially where we are gifted and trained.
We have to be willing to listen, and we have to be willing to go back out when we’ve failed if we sense Jesus inviting us to. Often we need to go to the deep water, where we can’t see the bottom, where the risk might be greater, where the outcome is unclear. The deep water also means going deep into our spirits, where we can dwell with God and be formed as Christ followers.
Going to the deep water requires us to let go and trust Jesus. When we let his Spirit work through us, instead of drawing on our own limited strength and insight, we soon find our nets full to bursting.
Would a Wall Street whiz take financial tips from a wizard? A maestro adopt singing techniques from a Zen master? An athlete take coaching from an ascetic? Why on earth would a lifelong fisherman who knows his home waters like his own face take angling advice from an itinerant rabbi?
Jesus got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.”
What exhaustion and exasperation Simon must have felt. When the fish aren’t biting, they’re not biting – or in this case, swimming into your nets. Try again tomorrow. They’d already come home, were already cleaning their nets. Why go out again now? And what does this guy know about it?
But Simon agrees. He calls Jesus “Master.” Is he already a follower of Jesus? The Gospel of John tells us that Simon’s brother Andrew met Jesus first, became convinced he was the long-awaited Messiah, and brought Simon to meet him. Perhaps a relationship is already growing; perhaps Jesus has set the bait and is just waiting for Simon to bite. Whether out of trust or politeness, Simon heads back out into the deep waters and lets down the nets.
Have you ever felt an instruction from Jesus, a Holy Spirit nudge? Did you act on it? What happened? It can be hard to hear or respond when these nudges come in areas where we are experts. Even clergy, who are supposed to be moving on the winds of the Spirit all the time, can become so locked into our techniques and patterns that we are slow to respond in new ways, to even see that God is offering new opportunities, new places to set our nets. But everyone can find themselves working more effectively and grace-fully when we invite Jesus to be part of our work – teachers, doctors, actors, lawyers… God wants to work through us, especially where we are gifted and trained.
We have to be willing to listen, and we have to be willing to go back out when we’ve failed if we sense Jesus inviting us to. Often we need to go to the deep water, where we can’t see the bottom, where the risk might be greater, where the outcome is unclear. The deep water also means going deep into our spirits, where we can dwell with God and be formed as Christ followers.
Going to the deep water requires us to let go and trust Jesus. When we let his Spirit work through us, instead of drawing on our own limited strength and insight, we soon find our nets full to bursting.
5-20-21 - The Gift Who Keeps On Giving
You can listen to this reflection here. Sunday's principal reading is here.
Among the Spirit's blessings promised us as saints of God are spiritual gifts. These are Spirit-given abilities that help the church carry out the mission of God. As such they are distinct from talents and abilities we are born with or train for. Sometimes our spiritual gifts overlap with our natural talents, as with musicians who also help lead worship music, or talented speakers who also preach, or naturally gregarious people who also have a gift of evangelism. But sometimes spiritual gifts are abilities we discover we have, or others notice in us. We discover them because they bear fruit.
We find several lists of spiritual gifts in New Testament letters by Paul and Peter (though maybe Peter’s list is cribbed from Paul…). The more obvious are ones like teaching, healing, preaching, evangelism. There are others, listed and not: prophecy, discernment of spirits, speaking in tongues, administration, compassion, generosity. Where spiritual gifts overlap with talents or traits we have, we identify them as spiritual gifts if they help the church proclaim the Good News of life in Jesus Christ, and sometimes by the intensity with which we manifest that gift. For instance, many people are generous; but someone with the spiritual gift of "giving" gives abundantly and with such joy and often in situations where their gift makes all the difference. Many people are well organized, but someone with the spiritual gift of administration is able to facilitate the ministries of the whole group for mission.
What are some spiritual gifts that you are aware of having?
What ministries do they empower you to live out? When did they surface? Sometimes when our circumstances change, such as when we retire or become empty nesters, new gifts emerge for ministries we are now able to do.
Among the Spirit's blessings promised us as saints of God are spiritual gifts. These are Spirit-given abilities that help the church carry out the mission of God. As such they are distinct from talents and abilities we are born with or train for. Sometimes our spiritual gifts overlap with our natural talents, as with musicians who also help lead worship music, or talented speakers who also preach, or naturally gregarious people who also have a gift of evangelism. But sometimes spiritual gifts are abilities we discover we have, or others notice in us. We discover them because they bear fruit.
We find several lists of spiritual gifts in New Testament letters by Paul and Peter (though maybe Peter’s list is cribbed from Paul…). The more obvious are ones like teaching, healing, preaching, evangelism. There are others, listed and not: prophecy, discernment of spirits, speaking in tongues, administration, compassion, generosity. Where spiritual gifts overlap with talents or traits we have, we identify them as spiritual gifts if they help the church proclaim the Good News of life in Jesus Christ, and sometimes by the intensity with which we manifest that gift. For instance, many people are generous; but someone with the spiritual gift of "giving" gives abundantly and with such joy and often in situations where their gift makes all the difference. Many people are well organized, but someone with the spiritual gift of administration is able to facilitate the ministries of the whole group for mission.
What are some spiritual gifts that you are aware of having?
What ministries do they empower you to live out? When did they surface? Sometimes when our circumstances change, such as when we retire or become empty nesters, new gifts emerge for ministries we are now able to do.
What gifts have others identified in you, that you may not have thought you had?
It’s also good to look at our “gift mixes.” Taking an inventory of our spiritual gifts and seeing how they combine can point us to ministries. (Here are Methodist, Lutheran and other online inventories; there are more.) Someone with a gift of healing and compassion (beyond the average) might be called to minister to people on the streets, or someone with a gift for teaching and music to lead choirs.
St. Paul wrote a lot about spiritual gifts, because he wanted his churches to know that God equips us for every ministry to which God calls us. He wanted them to crave the gifts – and to recognize that they are all Spirit-given and equally important. To the Corinthians, who were very keen on certain “flashier” gifts, he wrote, “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” He enumerates some of the diverse gifts for ministry, concluding, “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” (ICorinthians 12:4-11) No one is skipped.
Paul also reminded his readers that there’s no point being spiritually gifted if we’re lacking in love. That’s what that famous hymn to love read at weddings is really about – how to exercise the gifts of the Spirit in community, a community that is to be marked by love.
The gifts of the Spirit are gifts, not assets or rewards. We cannot buy or earn them, but we can pray for the ones we believe we want or need. We can trust the Spirit to give us what we need to live fully into God's purposes for us.
It’s also good to look at our “gift mixes.” Taking an inventory of our spiritual gifts and seeing how they combine can point us to ministries. (Here are Methodist, Lutheran and other online inventories; there are more.) Someone with a gift of healing and compassion (beyond the average) might be called to minister to people on the streets, or someone with a gift for teaching and music to lead choirs.
St. Paul wrote a lot about spiritual gifts, because he wanted his churches to know that God equips us for every ministry to which God calls us. He wanted them to crave the gifts – and to recognize that they are all Spirit-given and equally important. To the Corinthians, who were very keen on certain “flashier” gifts, he wrote, “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” He enumerates some of the diverse gifts for ministry, concluding, “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” (ICorinthians 12:4-11) No one is skipped.
Paul also reminded his readers that there’s no point being spiritually gifted if we’re lacking in love. That’s what that famous hymn to love read at weddings is really about – how to exercise the gifts of the Spirit in community, a community that is to be marked by love.
The gifts of the Spirit are gifts, not assets or rewards. We cannot buy or earn them, but we can pray for the ones we believe we want or need. We can trust the Spirit to give us what we need to live fully into God's purposes for us.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)