Monday: Dec. 1           Read 1 Corinthians 1:3-9

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind–just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you–so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

from Rev. Phil Auten

Minister of Visitation

Paul is writing to the new young Christians in the Corinthian Church. They faced many problems both within the church and in the society they lived in. As we read today’s text we see that by the grace of God through Christ we are already given all that we need to find peace. In a world of noise, confusion, and relentless pressures, people long for peace. True peace of heart and mind is available to us through Jesus Christ.

As Paul told the Christians of Corinth we also lack no spiritual gift needed to overcome the problems we face. It’s easy for us to fall into a state of anxiety. The economy has tanked, our sense of job security is waning. Even in matters of the church, we are worried. We think, “I don’t have what it takes to serve God. What if I do it wrong?” We need to have faith that God through Jesus will be with us in all that we do.

As Christians living in these times, we work to bring about the age when God’s will is “done on earth as in heaven.” As we prepare to celebrate his birth during this Advent season, we know that Jesus Christ is the hope of the world. We cling to this hope because it is promised to us that God is faithful. As we continue journeying through Advent, let us be reminded that our God is a generous God, and that through Christ we are not lacking any spiritual gift.

Ever-faithful God, help us to shift our gaze from what we think we don’t have, 

toward the gifts you have already provided.

Remind us that in Christ we have all that we need.    Amen