In the Spirit

“And instantly I was in the Spirit...” (Revelation 4:2 NLT)

I know a young couple who recently moved in together. She had the bigger apartment, so they decided to move his stuff into her space rather than vice versa. Whenever they had duplicate pieces of furniture or household items, they had to decide which ones to keep. More often than not, they decided it would be more convenient to keep her stuff where it was rather than move his items into the apartment. If you walk into their home right now, it’s more a reflection of her tastes than his.

Many of us ask the Holy Spirit to move into our lives. We don’t want to relinquish our stuff; we don’t want to give up our space where we feel in control. We would rather that the Spirit work around our identity and our aspirations.

Instead of asking the Spirit to move into our dark, cramped spaces, let us seek to move into His place; it is roomier and filled with light. Relinquishing all our ‘stuff’ will be a difficult adjustment. However, it is better to accommodate ourselves to the divine realm rather than seek to squeeze the Spirit into our mortal tents. When we move in with Him, our lives will become a reflection of His nature. We will no longer be in control. We shall yield to His preferences--no longer caught up in our own agendas but deeply embedded in Spirit-influenced territory.  

Lord, help me move in with Your Holy Spirit and live in your brilliant presence.

Comfort the Weary

“The Sovereign LORD has given me his words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary. Morning by morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will.” (Isaiah 50:4 NLT)

There was a time in my life when I was always exhausted. During that phase, I couldn’t focus on anything but my diminishing reserves. Everything was blurry, including God. However, I was fortunate enough to have a few good friends who talked me through--encouraging me with words of wisdom and comfort.

These days, I feel like God shakes me awake early in the morning saying:

Now it is your turn. Early morning is the best time for focused study--so get up out of bed. Listen. Pay attention to what I have to say. Pass on my words of wisdom. Encourage those who are despairing. Comfort those who are weary. Pray for the afflicted. Give hope to the despondent. Reach out to those who are sinking. Be diligent and disciplined. Do not procrastinate. Express what I put in your heart--according to MY time, not just when it is convenient for you. Do not get distracted by your own agenda. Allow MY insights and intentions to come through. Communicate MY truth.

Longings of My Soul

“All night long I search for you; in the morning I earnestly seek for God.” (Isaiah 26:9 NLT)

I’m a restless sleeper. I wake up several times each night. I check the time, get a sip of water from the bottle on the nightstand, apply lip balm, and pull the blanket up over me--all in an attempt to get comfortable. I lie awake for hours in a state of semi-consciousness. My mind shapes my anxious thoughts into groggy prayers. My soul keeps searching--buffering in endless loops--waiting for a full picture. My spirit reaches out--feeling around in the dark, hoping to find fulfillment and peace.

I get up out of bed well before dawn. The house is blissfully quiet since my family is still asleep. I get a cup of coffee and settle down in my big, comfy chair. This is my time to earnestly seek God.  I ask that my  eyes be opened--to be awakened completely to God’s presence around me. I study scripture. I take notes. I thank God for who HE is and what HE has done. I submit all my concerns, and then, wait--listening attentively; I take more notes; I pray: Lord, may who I am and what I do today be shaped by Your influence and Your intentions.

Healing

“Stretch out your hand with healing power;” (Acts 4:30 NLT)

I have a friend who seems to have the ‘gift of healing.’ She will touch people, pray for them, and some of them are healed. According to her, God’s healing power is available for all who are receptive. I’m skeptical about this whole thing. It raises a lot of questions for me: Why are some healed, but not all? Is it necessary to physically touch the person? How do we know that someone is really healed? If the healing power is from God, what part do humans play in it? I asked my friend these questions, but her answers seemed vague to me. I prayed for understanding, but nothing came to me.

This morning, I was watering my indoor plants. I have a sink near my plants, but I need some sort of container to transfer water from the faucet to the plants. I usually keep a pitcher next to the plants for this purpose, but I will use whatever is available--cups, bowls, cans--as long as it fits under the faucet and it’s not difficult to handle. Containers may have the capacity to carry water, but they don’t have the capacity to understand botany and the growth process.

This must be how God’s healing power works. We are His containers. He will use anyone who is available and receptive. We have to be open and willing to be used.  We have to patiently wait under Him, until we are filled.

I’m still not clear about all the details, but I felt that God helped me understand one small part of this mystery. My part is to daily choose to be available, obedient, trusting, and willing--even though I may never understand how the whole process works.

Knowing Jesus

“Your kind of knowing can hardly be called knowing. You don't know the first thing about me.” (Luke 13:27 MSG)

Recently, someone asked me if I knew one of my husband’s coworkers. I replied: “I don’t know the guy personally, but I know of him.” I had heard my husband talk about this guy several times. I knew that he was married, had two kids, played golf, and liked to buy the latest gadgets. I had seen him at the holiday parties and briefly exchanged pleasantries. I knew a lot about this guy, but it was all second-hand information. I had not spent much time with him or had any deep conversations with him.

Many of us who claim to know Jesus merely know of him. We may have heard about him from others or read about him or seen images of him. However, we don’t work with him or ‘do life’ with him. Our attitudes and behavior do not reflect a personal connection with Christ. We cannot have an intimate relationship with Jesus unless we are willing to give of ourselves completely, admit our vulnerabilities, and remain fully attentive to him.

Lord, reveal Yourself to us. Help us to know You and realize we are known by You.

Zoom Out

“Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

When I’m looking at a map online, I use the zoom feature quite a bit. First, I like to zoom out to get the big picture; then, I zoom in to whatever detail I want to focus on.

When I am faced with a problematic situation, I tend to zoom in. This only magnifies the problem. If I would zoom out a bit, I would notice God in the picture. He is right there in every scene. I do not have to be afraid when the Lord is present.

Perhaps you are facing a troublesome issue right now. Zoom out. Look for God. Then, zoom in and focus on HIM.

“So, my dear Christian friends, companions in following this call to the heights, take a good hard look at Jesus. He's the centerpiece of everything we believe.” (Hebrews 3:1 MSG)

Dependence on God

“Your salvation requires you to turn back to me and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves. Your strength will come from settling down in complete dependence on me - The very thing you've been unwilling to do.” (Isaiah 30:15 MSG)

As part of my training for running, I have been using unstable surfaces to increase balance and strengthen my core. There are a lot of ways to do this: One can run on uneven trails, use bosu balls or wobble boards, or even stand on one leg on a pillow. Since I am usually one of those people who avoids uncertainty and instability at all costs, the fact that I’m voluntarily seeking unstable situations might seem goofy. But, I have learned several things from these new exercises. First of all, I have to focus more than I would on a stable surface. I have to engage my core. I notice that I throw my arms out and up a lot when I’m off balance.

Uncertainty prods us to engage our core faith. It shifts our focus. We realize that our natural abilities and resources are not as dependable as we thought. This forces us to relinquish our illusions of self-sufficiency, security, and balance. We are more likely to throw up our hands and ask God for help. The more we practice, the more we get the hang of this new way of living. In time, we learn to settle down in complete dependence on God.