Generous Spirit

My friend, Joanne was telling me about a testimony of a miracle she had heard.

A woman told this story:
She had suffered all her life from some malformation in her jaw that was agonising.
That particular Sunday morning, she had been too late for breakfast so had just grabbed a tangerine (naartjie if you're South African) on the way to the church meeting and stuck it in her bag.

(Yes - this IS relevant to the story! )

In the middle of his sermon, the pastor suddenly stopped and said he believed the Lord was saying that there was some one in the meeting who suffered from great pain in the jaw.

The woman, for some reason, couldn't believe that the Lord of all creation would do this for her, so she didn't respond.
Twice the pastor stopped and said the same thing - she did not respond.

After the second time, she reached into her bag and began to peel the tangerine inside her bag, only to hear the preacher (who was totally unable to see what was going on there) stop again and say:
"I know this sounds very odd and I don't understand it, but the Lord is showing me an orange."

At last, the woman was able to accept that this was for her.
She went forward for prayer and was completely healed.

This was the testimony my friend heard - that impacted her so profoundly.
The mercy and tenderness of God!

This wonderful story made me realise how lax I have been in "eagerly desiring the gifts of the Spirit."
Made me realise how I have seen the whole thing kind of backwards.
Been concerned about being caught up in the lust for signs and wonders.

But today I saw how this wonderful enabling from God to equip the saints who long to worship Him by serving man, is the only thing that can really help anyone.

And at the same time, ensure that He gets all the credit because it is obvious that it is supernatural - no man can take the credit for it.

So Lord, thank You for Your wondrous offer; for Your generous Spirit who graciously gives all we need to serve effectively in Your Name.
Lord, I'm sorry that I have for so long seen it wrongly - and now I ask for the ability to hear what You want me to hear; and to see what You want me to see, so that Your people can be served the way You want them to be.

Its amazing - I mourn that unsaved people are so blind to the gift of salvation You offer them; stand astonished that they will not take it.
Then I see that I have been doing the exact same thing here.

Thank You for Your patience and grace.