I don't have lots of notes, but I did want to share today's sermon with you. Spiritual gifts are an important tool on the journey, but I really appreciated what the pastor said today about the focus.
The Scripture passage for today was 1 Corinthians 12:1-7.
My notes from today:
- When you say "yes!" to God, you help change the world.
- Discover your place of ministry in God's world.
- Spiritual gifts express the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
- Your spiritual gift in not about what you do... but whose you are. (The answer is not found in doing more, but in surrendering yourself to Christ.)
- Your spiritual gift is not about what fits you... but you being shaped for him. (God continues to shape and mold each one of us into what we are becoming.)
- Your spiritual gift will become most clear in the place you are surrendered. (Be free to abandon all to God's purpose.)
You can also ask yourself these questions, which are similar: am I fully surrendered to Christ? How am I surrendered to Christ? Where am I not surrendered to Christ?
Today's message is very timely for me. You see, I'm at that place on my journey where I meet once again with the District Board on Ordained Ministry. Tomorrow. And tomorrow's meeting is when they determine whether or not I'm ready to move forward in the process toward becoming a Provisional Elder.
Talk about surrendering to God!
At the retreat in MN two weeks ago, I knew inside my spirit that God was working on my soul as a leader. And since that time I have stepped up and stepped in to that role in several ways. Yet, there is still hesitancy and a little bit of anxiety as God continues to mold and shape me into what I am becoming. Though surrendered, it is that unknowing at times that can become a tad daunting.
Yet, I know that as I continue to allow God to mold me, to shape me, to work in me..... and that as I continue to be free to abandon all to God's purpose, then I will be able to live into the calling that will express the Lordship of Jesus Christ through the gifts and graces bestowed upon me.
Living in and with abandon to God is truly a freeing thing. It is living in freedom. It is the running through the water sprinklers at the FUMSDRL retreat. It is flying after the service when most folks had left the sanctuary to "I'll Fly Away" and then later learning that your D.S. was there.
Today, it was feeling led to join in with the children for the children's J.A.M.worship time to sing and dance and love Jesus! So, I did. And it was also the feeling led to skip around the sanctuary as the worship band jammed up their last song at the end of the service. I can't explain the freedom in my soul. But it was there and it said skip. I have skipped up to the altar in the first service before. Once. Today, I skipped down one aisle, across the front, and toward the back of another. Then, the band went into "I'll Fly Away"... so I got to fly! I flew down the next aisle and back up to where I was sitting.
My spirit was soaring. I realize that it must be odd to see an almost 50 year old skipping and flying in church. But, I am a child of God. Above all, I took today's message seriously... I will abandon all to God's purpose and surrender all of me.
So, I live into being that child of God, full of play and joy. I also live into those areas of calling that require the soul of my leadership to step up and move forward. Whether God will use the different gifts and graces God has bestowed on me in certain arenas or whether God chooses to lay me aside and not use me in certain ways... I'm okay.
It I about being surrendered to God, recognizing whose I am, and living fully... fully alive and abandoned... into that relationship for God's purpose.
This is the power of saying Yes!
Blessings on your journey,
Debra
To watch today's video of the service:
Yes, part 2.
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