Daily Graces: Devotions for Thankful Living

THURSDAY, 25 APRIL 2024

TEXT: I Corinthians 3:1-9

1: Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ.

2: I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.

3: You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?

4: For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings?

5: What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task.

6: I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.

7: So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

8: The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.

9: For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

(New International Version Holy Bible)

TOPIC: SIGNS OF IMMATURITY

Today's reading shows that our spirituality is not measured by how many Bible passages we know or the prayers we can offer in different languages but by our character, attitude and behaviour in and outside the church.

Although Paul commended the Corinthian church at the opening of his letter, now he says, "Brethren, I couldn't speak of you as though speaking to spiritual men but carnal, even as babes in Christ" It means that a sanctified Church might still be carnal and act like a child.

The elements of immaturity were envy, strife, divisions and the like. But each member shall receive their reward according to their labour.

It is all about God who waters and brings out results from our individual labour. No one should be proud when God is graciously using him as He pleases.

In our local churches today, some workers think that they are working more than others. If envy, strife and divisions are apparent in any form in our churches, these are signs of immaturity.

QUESTION: How can you help your local church to see everyone serving in the church as equal labourers working together for God?

PRAYER: Make me a true worker who sees others as co - labourers in Your vineyard, in Jesus name. Amen.