1 Corinthians 12:⁴ Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; ⁵ and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; ⁶ and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. ⁷ To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. ⁸ To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses. 

It’s interesting that the gifts Paul mentions here are mostly what we might call the “charismatic” gifts – supernatural. Healing, miracles, discernment of spirits, and so on. I’m pastor of a church that, like most Lutheran congregations, doesn’t place a lot of emphasis on the mystical side of Christianity. Perhaps that should change.

Lord, the gifts of the Spirit are just that – gifts. Stir us in me, and those reading this blog post, a greater hunger for the supernatural dimension of faith. Show us the way, O Lord. Amen.