Eagerly Desire

DEVOTION

1 CORINTHIANS

EAGERLY DESIRE

1 Cor 12:27-31

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way.

NIV

So are none of these the greater gifts? Or are these the greater gifts as compared to some of the others already spoken of? In either case it would make the case that we should eagerly desire the greater gifts. It would appear this might be directed to the fact that as humans we spend a great deal of time and energy in the pursuit of earthly gifts, which are the things of the world. Here we are directed to spend that energy in the desire of heavenly gifts. Now the question which has been raised in the modern church era is about whether some of these gifts are gone, forgotten, or simply for past members long dead, especially apostles and prophets, and of course we are back to those pesky ones about tongues and interpretation. We have been told over the years that in order to be considered an apostle, one had to have seen Jesus. Although there is nothing in the scriptures which says that, but only that signs, wonders, and miraculous powers mark an apostle. The Greek word is defined as a delegate; specially, an ambassador of the Gospel, officially a commissioner of Christ with miraculous powers. Not any of that would prohibit a person from being an apostle today. Nor would anything keep someone from being a prophet. The gifts of God are eternal, everlasting. He never stand that they were just for a couple of years, then I am taking them back. We sure make hay with the ones we want to, but refuse to accept the ones we should be making hay with as well. Yet all these gifts are just that, gifts from God to His church, to the Body of Christ, to all the members of that body. None are excluded, none are left out, and none are without the call to receive a gift or two. What would Christmas be if everyone in the family received a gift from under the tree except one? So let us unwrap our gift, put it on and wear it proudly, for our heavenly father has picked it our especially for us, even if it means we must be an apostle, prophet or speak in tongues or any of the others for that matter. Yet there is one that may not be considered a gift, but is the most excellent way, which we will see next. But for now let us be content with the gift we have. In fact, let us eagerly desire them.