Freely Given

Posted by anthologycreative

Freely Given
Read This Passage: 1 Corinthians 2:12-16

Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, in order to know what has been freely given to us by God. —1 Corinthians 2:12

HERE’S SOMETHING YOU may not know: Murfreesboro, Ark., is home to the only diamond mine in the world that allows the public to search for and keep any gems it finds—for a small fee, of course. My family visited this tourist spot last summer during a week that boasted 100 degree temperatures. We paid our fees to enter the park and rented the necessary equipment: shovels, pails, and strainers. Our excitement grew with every display we stopped to read, complete with headlines recounting 7-carat wonders. Even the sight of multitudes of bedraggled fellow -“miners” digging in 37 acres of dirt did not deter us. We had visions of a great discovery. And since we had seven “miners” in our family and two diamonds on average were found each day, we figured our chances were good.

Our enthusiasm did not last long. Squatting is hard, and it was hot. After about an hour of digging, sifting, kicking, changing spots, and questioning why we ever thought this was a fun idea, we quit. It was a unanimous decision, quite possibly the only one of the entire vacation. We chalked it up as a learning experience.

In today’s passage, Paul informed his readers that spiritual wisdom doesn’t come by experience. It isn’t a matter of human intellect or sitting under the best teachers. Paul pointed out that the ability to discern what is of Christ and what is not comes from the Holy Spirit. And as a Christian, it’s been freely given to you by God.

Wisdom is key to a successful life. And God has given it to you in the form of the Holy Spirit. Trust Him!

Real Choices
Do you base your relationship with Christ on past spiritual experiences or how much you know about the Bible? Acknowledge the Holy Spirit’s guidance, not what you do in your own power, as your only means of becoming a “spiritual person.”

Digging Deeper
How does Scripture describe the condition and abilities of our own reasoning in today’s passage? In Romans 8:7? How are you refusing to submit yourself to God’s leadership?

Pray
Make a habit of praying each day that the Holy Spirit would grant you spiritual wisdom.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 1 Corinthians, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Weekly Devotion