Pray by the Spirit - Edification of the Church (1-3-2013)

January 3, 2012 - 1 Corinthians 14:12-19

14:12		你 們 也 是 如 此 ． 既 是 切 慕 屬 靈 的 恩 賜 、 就 當 求 多 得 造 就 教 會 的 恩 賜 。
14:13		所 以 那 說 方 言 的 、 就 當 求 著 能 翻 出 來 。
14:14		我 若 用 方 言 禱 告 、 是 我 的 靈 禱 告 ． 但 我 的 悟 性 沒 有 果 效 。
14:15		這 卻 怎 麼 樣 呢 ． 我 要 用 靈 禱 告 、 也 要 用 悟 性 禱 告 ． 我 要 用 靈 歌 唱 、 也 要 用 悟 性 歌 唱 。
14:16		不 然 、 你 用 靈 祝 謝 、 那 在 座 不 通 方 言 的 人 、 既 然 不 明 白 你 的 話 、 怎 能 在 你 感 謝 的 時 候 說 阿 們 呢 。
14:17		你 感 謝 的 固 然 是 好 、 無 奈 不 能 造 就 別 人 。
14:18		我 感 謝 　 神 、 我 說 方 言 比 你 們 眾 人 還 多 ．
14:19		但 在 教 會 中 、 寧 可 用 悟 性 說 五 句 教 導 人 的 話 、 強 如 說 萬 句 方 言 。

¹² So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church.

   ¹³ For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say. ¹⁴ For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. ¹⁵ So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. ¹⁶ Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? ¹⁷ You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.

   ¹⁸ I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. ¹⁹ But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.

Paul instructs believers to eager for gifts that can edify the church rather than edifying themselves. In Corinthians church, believers eager for speaking in tongues in order to exalt themselves higher than the others. Believers should pursue a spiritual life that both edifies themselves and the church. Paul shares his spiritual life that he prays and sings with his spirit, but also with his understanding. Paul stresses on the holistic formation of his spiritual life - using both his spirit and his understanding to deepen his relationship with God.

My Spirit, I am wired to be more an "intellectual" person. As I recall on my growth of spiritual life, I used to use my mind to relate with you through gaining spiritual knowledge that is also important for building up my theological foundation in Christian faith. I can discern right or wrong more easily. I can achieve a more proper Christian worldview. But at the same time, I lack of those very intimate relationship with you as I don't experience much about how I pray and sing with my spirit and by the Spirit. Teach me how to pray in your Spirit that I can closely relate with you and experience your love and presence. But thanks for reminding me in advance that all my spiritual experience is for edifying your people though I need to experience it by myself first. I eager to experience you. My Spirit, fill up my life - my mind, my affection, my will, and my deeds with your presence.