Signature Stamp

“You are like a letter written by Christ and delivered by us. But you are not written with pen and ink or on tablets made of stone. You are written in our hearts by the Spirit of the living God.” (2 Corinthians 3:3 CEV)

Back in the day, before everything became digital, my husband had a self-inking signature stamp. It allowed him to sign documents quickly. This little gadget had an image of his signature carved into it. Every time you pressed it down on a surface, his signature appeared.

God’s signature is upon us. The imprint of the Father is carved into Jesus. The Holy Spirit is the ink that reveals everything. Christ transfers the power and essence of God on to our hearts through the Holy Spirit. God is the author. We are His message. Let us remain still in front of the Lord, presenting ourselves like papers waiting to be signed. May our lives be daily posts that manifest holiness, authenticated by the Spirit, and revealing God’s glory.

Playing with Boxes

“For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions.” (1 John 2:16 NLT)

If you give a toddler a gift in a large box, he is likely to be more interested in the box than what is in it. This behavior may be seen as adorable in a young child but odd in an adult. Unfortunately, most of us spend decades of our lives playing with boxes. We pursue our cravings for pleasure and take pride in our achievements and possessions. We obsess over extrinsic pleasures and validation while remaining oblivious to our intrinsic worth.

We cannot access the internal until we stop obsessing over the external. Wanting to appear significant detracts us from that which is truly significant. The gift of the Spirit is embedded deep within us. The closer we draw to the Lord, the better we know Him. The more we trust Him, the more we are able to surrender. When we allow the Holy Spirit to take over, we are granted strength and understanding, enabling us to operate from the deep reserves of power within us.

Burning Without Burning Out

“We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That's to prevent anyone from confusing God's incomparable power with us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7 MSG)

In ancient days, oil lamps were used for lighting. Simple clay pots filled with olive oil were often used by households. A piece of cotton, often an old rag, would be saturated with oil and used as a wick. When lighted, this wick conveyed the oil from the container to the surface, fueling the flame. This took time. A wick that had not been soaked in oil for hours would burn out quickly.

Our ordinary lives are like clay lamps holding the oil of God’s anointing. These clay pots, no matter how highly decorated, are not worthy of attention. Their true value lies in their purpose--as a container of light. Our souls burn brightly when we are saturated in the Holy Spirit. This takes time, contemplation, and intentionality. A quick dip in a baptismal font does not equip us for service. Our natural talents, skills, and charisma may be enough to kindle an initial spark, but like a wick that is not properly soaked, we will burn out quickly. Experiencing the essence of God can be self-depleting and time-consuming. However, once we discover the anointing of the Holy Spirit within us, we can proceed to access this treasure. We no longer have to depend solely on our own raggedy skills sets. We are fueled by the power of God. The longer we absorb the Spirit, the more we are enabled to make the light of Christ evident.

Eternal

“And this is the real and eternal life: That they know you, The one and only true God.” (John 17:3 MSG)

The earth encompasses what we understand about our past, present, and future. It contains all our history, experiences, and expectations. It represents nature, humanity, and all that is tangible. Yet, we sense there is more. Although much of it is beyond our grasp, we know the earth is merely a tiny part of the cosmos. Space and time stretch beyond all that is comprehensible.

What is eternal life?

If you walk outside soon after it rains, you may be able to see a few clouds and puddles of water. You may hear the birds chirping. You may NOT notice that the air is heavier with humidity, but it is. Experiencing God is absorbing the weight of the intangible Spirit that surrounds you and revealing His essence. It is more than the past, present, and future--it is timeless. Nature, humanity, and all that we know of this world are part of it, but not all of it. It is beyond our concepts of matter, space, and time. Eternal life is experiencing and expressing God’s nature, here and now.

Press On

“Oh, that we might know the LORD! Let us press on to know him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring.” (Hosea 6:3 NLT)

To ‘press on’ is to continue doing something in a steady, determined way, despite difficulties. This requires concentration and persistence. For example, when I am trying to run at a specific pace, I have to be continually focused, pushing past discomfort. If I allow my mind to wander, it easily fixates on things that detract from the task at hand.

All of us have benefited from God’s generosity and power whether we acknowledge it or not. Knowing God is not the same as knowing about God. It involves more than standing in the path of grace. To know, in the biblical sense, is to experience intimately, to absorb deeply. This requires us to press on--despite difficulties and distractions. And as we steadily push forward to know the Lord, He responds to us unfailingly.

“For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.” (Psalm 117:2 ESV)

First Aid Kit

“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19 NIV)

The above verse reminded me of a friend, also named Mary, who shared the following lesson with a group of us women:

In an emergency, it helps to have a first aid kit that is accessible, personalized, and updated. You could go buy a general kit from a store, but it may have too many band-aids and not enough medications. Medicines are specific, and a variety of them are essential. Plus, they expire and need to be updated. Making up a well-stocked first aid kit takes some planning and effort, but it can reduce panic, decrease severity of injury, and prevent infection.

Similarly, it helps to have a first aid kit in a spiritual crisis. There are many generalized options like devotionals and inspirational books. However, a customized trove of scripture verses, quotes, and personalized prayers can be worthwhile. When you read something that makes an impact--perhaps a  verse, a prayer from a devotional, one line from a book or a song--copy it down. Paraphrase it and make it your own. If you get a revelation or insight, write it down. Keep a record of answered prayers. Just make sure all of this is in one place and easily accessible. Treasure these words and ponder them in your heart frequently. Know it inside out, so that you can easily find what you need in a crisis. This is a product of your personal journey with God. Next time you are assailed by fear, anxiety, doubt, or lies--go to this resource. Take out the appropriate parts and apply them to your wounded soul. If you think someone else can benefit from a particular passage in your kit, copy it, and send it to them as a gift. This powerful collection of remedies can reduce panic and severity of suffering in a crisis.

Easter

“They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! Again he said, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.’ Then he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” (John 20:20-22 NLT)

Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus. In the Western Christian tradition, it is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the northern spring equinox. Most of us see Easter like we do other holidays--a time for social eating and merriment. Each culture has a different kind of traditional foods. In our area, Easter is filled with eggs, chocolate, and a glazed ham.

We forget that on the first Easter Sunday, the disciples were meeting in secret, because they feared repercussions for being followers of Jesus. Their leader had just been assassinated, and they were seen as terrorists by the governing authorities. Into this room filled with despair and fear, the risen Christ appears. The disciples are filled with hope, peace, and joy. Just as God breathed life into Adam, Jesus breathes new life into His followers. Just as Jesus was commissioned by the Father, He commissions the disciples to reveal God. He infuses them with courage and boldness through the power of the Holy Spirit. He sends them forth to live the Gospel.

Let us join these early disciples, putting our trust in the Lord. May we be filled with peace, hope, joy, and courage. I pray that the power of the Holy Spirit will equip us with everything we need to go forth and live out the Message.