Daily Scripture: 1 Peter 4:8-11
8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If you speak, you should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If you serve, you should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
Read additional translations at Biblegateway.com or youversion.com
Reflection Questions:
God knows that each of us has a precious gift or gifts. We need to find and value them, and use them to bless others. In the film, Wizard, seeing his chance to profit from August slip away, tells him, “You don’t know how precious your gift is.” For Wizard, that means money, but God values all the joy and meaning our gifts can add to our life.
- We aren’t all musical wonders, but we all have gifts—things we do well, that bring us deep inner joy. What gifts do you have? How do you see God blessing others through you? (If you don’t know what your gifts are, Resurrection offers help, either in your small group or through a class. Visit www.cor.org/spiritualgifts.)
- In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul says that using our gifts without having love renders them useless to God. Peter, in shorter, less-poetic form, makes the same point. What makes love so vital as the environment in which we use our widely varying gifts? Who do you know who is finding joy by using his or her gifts in love?
Read Pastor Nicole Conard’s insights on today’s scripture at gpsinsights.wordpress.com
Weekly Prayer:
Dear God, we’ve learned so much about the physical properties of this world and this universe. Sometimes I struggle to remember that, with all we’ve learned, there is more in this world than just what my five senses can detect. Give me eyes to see, and ears to hear, your presence in my life. Amen.
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, TODAY’S NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 2001, 2005 by International Bible Society®. Used by permission of International Bible Society®. All rights reserved worldwide.
