Twentieth Sunday after Trinity – Thursday
Whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance, but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. – Matthew 13:12.
God’s spiritual gifts are, mainly, a believing knowledge of the Word of God, peace and joy in God’s salvation in Christ Jesus, and strength willingly and obediently to follow Christ through this life to the eternal, fullness of life in the perfect bliss of heaven.
These spiritual gifts, because of their divine origin and nature, will thrive and bear fruit; they are spiritual gifts from the Holy Ghost, Who, through His Word, dwells within us believers (I Corinthians 3:16). The Holy Ghost cannot be idle and inactive within our hearts; He causes the “seed” (Luke 8:11) of the Word of God to grow and produce “much fruit” (John 15:5) in our hearts and lives, and in the hearts and lives of all His “people” (I Peter 2:10).
So it is that ever more of this believing knowledge of the Word of God, ever more of this peace and joy in God’s salvation in Christ Jesus, and ever more of this strength willingly and obediently to follow Christ, is given to him who has these spiritual gifts, and in whose heart the Holy Spirit truly abides through His Word of truth and grace. This is what the Lord Jesus taught us when He said: “Whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance.”
On the other hand, if any one disregards and despises the spiritual gifts of God (Luke 10:16), if he resists the Holy Spirit, who desires to work within his heart through the Holy Scriptures (Acts 7:51-52), and hardens his heart and mind against the Holy Ghost working through the Word of God (Hebrews 3:7-13), then at last the Holy Spirit departs from such a person; and when the Holy Spirit departs, all those priceless spiritual gifts of God are taken away from him. That person is then without the believing knowledge of the Word of God, without peace and joy in God’s salvation through Christ, having lost it, and without strength willingly and obediently to follow Christ. As the writer to the Hebrews reminds us: ‘For we are made partakers of Christ [and partakers of all the spiritual gifts which God has given us through Christ] if we hold [by God’s grace alone] the beginning of our confidence [in His completely trustworthy, sure, and certain words and promises] steadfast unto the end” (3:14).
PRAYER – O Holy Spirit, I must confess to Thee my sins of not always thanking and praising Thee for all the priceless spiritual gifts which Thou hast brought into my heart and life through the light and lamp of Thy Word (Psalm 119:105). Comfort me again and again with the precious gift of Thy forgiveness on account of the vicarious obedience, suffering, and death of my only Savior. Help me to grow in treasuring all Thy spiritual gifts more and more, as I bring these petitions to Thee in the name of my merciful Redeemer.