Quiet Devotions is a daily devotion based on one of the readings from the Daily Lectionary (as it appears in the back of Evangelical Lutheran Worship, Augsburg Fortress, 2006). All biblical quotes are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) unless otherwise noted. May these devotions help bring you in closer relationship with the Triune God.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Year B, Holy Trinity, Tuesday


Inspired by 1 Corinthians 2:1-10

“[T]hese things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.”  1 Corinthians 2:10

How can we know the will of God?  This is the question asked by faithful Christians for generations.  We envy the original disciples; they actually knew Jesus, God incarnate, and heard him speak.  If they were unsure of what he wanted of them, all they had to do was ask, and he was physically right there to answer.

Those of us who have come later have a more difficult time of it.  All we can do is read the scriptures, search our hearts, and hope that our feelings will lead us along the right paths.  Sometimes it seems like a fool’s hope.

But faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.  And we’re not just relying on our own understanding of the scriptures, and we’re certainly not relying on our feelings.  God sent not only his Son into the world, but his Spirit as well, and while his Son is no longer physically here, his Spirit is.  That Spirit knows us to our very depths, and it knows God to his very depths.  God knows us and created us, and the Spirit binds our hopes, our dreams, our gifts, even our weaknesses to God’s purpose for us, and guides us according to his will.

What does God want you to do?  What were you made to do?  God gave you the abilities, the cultural context, the desires, and the perspective to do what he has called you to do.  Let the Spirit help you discover who you are, and then you will know who God created you to be, which will help better define what God is calling you to do.  Trust in the Spirit of God; he knows not only the answers you seek, but the answers to the questions you haven’t even thought to ask yet.

Let us pray.  Lord of truth, you sent your Spirit to guide us.  Give us open and willing hearts, that we may recognize his encouragement and discern your will.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

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