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
“No eye has seen, now ear has heard, and no heart can fully know.” These words come from Isaiah 52:15 and 64:4. They were made popular in contemporary Christians song “Beautiful One” by Jeremy Camp. The simplicity of this short tag line is in its meaning; no matter how much knowledge, wisdom, or insight we may have, we have no clue what is going on in the mind and heart of our amazing God.
In our minds and in our spirits are often the things of this world because we are of this world and our spirits are grounded in this world. However, for those who accept the free gift offered by God; that is, the Spirit of the Lord, they can evaluate everything (1 Cor. 2:15), and can understand both the things of this would and the things of heaven. Jesus even said, “I do not call you slaves anymore, because a slave doesn’t know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father” (John 15:15).
Therefore, through the Spirit of the Lord, we have been given the gift to know the things that God wishes us to know, and we have been given the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16). The beautiful one has loved us and lavished us with the gift of wisdom to know and evaluate right from wrong, light from darkness, and good from bad. We have been given every opportunity, through God’s gift to do that which is pleasing in his sight, yet I find myself a failure at times.
I can read these words over and over, and think about what it is that I have done with the gifts that have been so freely given to me. If I dwell on it too hard, I know that I am worthy of none of them. It is shameful to think how one-sided my relationship with God is at times, and it is shameful to know that the spiritual wisdom that has been poured out has been received without regard of thanksgiving.
I rest assured in this, however, and I hope you will too. God still loves. God still forgives. God still accepts. God does not turn us away, but is always there welcoming us into the arms of love. The gifts have been given in order that we may mature in our relationship with Christ, and that we might mature in our spiritual life, individually and collectively. It is the times when we feel shameful about how we have used the blessings of God we realize how immature we still are (no matter how old we might be). Sometimes we need to realize that we still are in need of spiritual milk, because we are not yet ready of the solid food that is to come (1 Cor 3:2).
May God bless you richly as you reflect on how you have used the blessed gifts you have been given, and may you rest today, knowing you are loved and accepted by God, regardless.
Grace & Peace,
Sam