This is not a cheeky pop at those of us who have failed to turn our last New Year’s Resolutions into a slimmer, trimmer and sleeker physique! While our bodies are temples for the Holy Spirit, and should be looked after and valued as such, I am talking about a more comprehensive idea of ourselves.
Wonderful mysteries take place in us when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord, our Saviour and the driving force in our lives. Our faith journeys take us in many directions, and we often lose sight of these magnificent mysteries which come from Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross. Firstly, we find ourselves in a new position spiritually. We receive a whole cornucopia of promises which describe us, including: Accepted; Adopted; Forgiven; Redeemed; Significant; God’s workmanship; God’s co-worker; to list a few. These cover a lot of ground in defining us, but the second mystery finishes the job. We could describe this, as Revd Canon Amiel Osmaston does, as our specific and personal SHAPE.
Each of us is completely unique and has a combination of gifts, a special place in the family of God, and an important role to play. The discovery of our SHAPE allows us the fulfilment of discovering who God designed us to be! It draws us closer to the rest of the family. And it empowers us to serve God effectively with the ultimate result of bringing more people into the Kingdom!
Please consider joining us for what promises to be an enjoyable course. The SHAPE Course will run on Wednesday evenings at St Saviour’s from 10 May to 21 June, from 7-9.30pm. Find more information and sign-up slips in the Link.
Laura Simpkins
Related reading: 1 Corinthians 12 on ‘spiritual gifts’ and ‘the body’.
