1 Corinthians 12:12-20 Not just a Hand or Eye
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: March 18, 2020 1 Corinthians 12:12-20
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
(Understanding the Text) We, the church, belong to one unified whole, yet we are still individuals. God has given us different gifts, and we have different talents and viewpoints, yet we all belong to Jesus and serve Him. As such, we need to respect each other and understand that others have talents and gifts that are greater in some areas than our own. We need to strike the balance of trusting in the gifts that God has given to us while trusting in the gifts that He has given to our brothers and sisters also. Each person has some gift that is needed for the church. We need to value each other and value each other’s gifts, but also we need to listen to each other and respect each other knowing that we are all necessary in some way and that God is working through all of us.
(Revelation of God) God operates at the macro level and micro level at the same time. He can view His people as a whole, as small group components, and as individuals all at the same time. This is hard for me to understand because I cannot keep all perspectives in my mind at once. However, I need to trust that God sees both the worldwide church, the local church, and each member as equally important. No individual is sacrificed for the group and no group is sacrificed for an individual. We just have to trust has the intelligence and understanding to work situations out for the best for both a single individual and the congregation that worships together every week, as well as the worldwide church.
(Application) This is easy for me to do at the local level because we are so small and have to depend on each other, but it is difficult to do at the higher levels when I see people who are making the wrong decisions and allowing worldly concerns to overpower their spiritual gifts. I need to remember this lesson then. They are just as much a part of Jesus’ body as I am and have their own place in Jesus that He uses as much as they allow. I need to never despise their gifts and their talents and what they are doing, even though at times they seem wrong-headed and blind. I belong to the same body as them and cannot deny that we are together in this.
(Prayer) Help me to value others and listen when their gifts from You are in play. Help me to trust that You know what You are doing and not become jaded towards others when they do not seem to have the understanding of Your will that is obvious to me.