– Pastor’s Corner –

– Pastor’s Corner –

By Pastor Paul Messmer Holcombe United Methodist Church • Holcombe In my ministry, I give a message of our relationship with God and a love that is for everyone. Please read the scripture, 1 Corinthians 12: 1-13 in the Message Bible. It is interesting to read. It is about our relationship with God and how we let God be a part of us.

The choice is ours to follow where God leads us and how we listen to the Holy Spirit inside us. Listen to the words: God is in Jesus, and Jesus is in us and communes with us 24/7, through the Holy Spirit. It talks about the gifts we each possess and that our purpose is to share with others in our lifetime. Think about how you have used your gift and how you see your purpose. Are we using those gifts and sharing, caring, loving others? Do we utterly understand our plan and purpose? I wonder how many of us think about if we do have purpose or if we are just here?

Period. This is it? I pray we feel something deeper inside ourselves that burns and bothers us. It keeps us restless or unsettled for some reason, and wants us to do something, but we are not sure what and why. We read and understand in the verse how our hand does not do the same action, as our eyes or nose.

We have one body, but it works independently, but together. We can walk, toss a ball up and catch it, chew gum, be thinking about what we will have for supper while we smell something burning and see a car spinning out of control, all simultaneously. That is amazing and a mystical mystery. Is that enough evidence for you to know and believe we are made from a divine higher power? We are the caretakers of the Word and the world. Let us use all our God-given talents and gifts to take care of one another, for a purpose that works toward the betterment of this world.

Practice humility, understanding, tenderness, grace, forgiveness and love. If we would open ourselves to the Holy Spirit that is inside each and every one of us, this could become reality. I love in the verse where God decides when, and at what time, you are given those gifts.

It is not our decision or under our control. It is all under God’s power. Here is the difference: God does not control the things we do, because of our “free will,” but controls the world, and how we work in, and for, the world with God.

God works through us, just as our hands and feet, nose, eyes and other parts of our bodies, taking part and giving to the living life as one in the world. We are one in the Spirit and one with each other through Jesus Christ. “They will know we are Christians by our love!”