Spirit

Exodus 13:21

By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.

Isaiah 30:21

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

John 14:26 & 16:13

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

But, when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth.  He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come.

For many years the New Testament Christian Church danced all around teaching about the Holy Spirit.  For some reason, we didn’t want to think that Someone so wonderful could actually live inside us.  Maybe it was too scary a topic…too deep…too hard to understand.  So instead of trying to understand it, we shoved the topic under the rug.  Thankfully, that has changed in the Church.  But, even though it has changed and we speak of the Spirit…there is so much more to know and understand.

I have thought in the past how wonderful it would have been to be with Moses in the desert, being witness to the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire.  Can you imagine being led by something so magnificent?  And to know that it was literally God’s very presence that was going before you.  Whenever God wanted to pack up and move…the Israelites had no choice but to do the same.  They were being led by an outside force…God in the cloud and fire.

But, then I look into the work of the Spirit today.  And how Jesus changed everything by His death…burial…resurrection and assension.   Now instead of an outside force of a cloud and fire…He has placed the same inside us. It wasn’t enough for God to just go before us guiding us…or to stand behind us whispering to us which way to go.  It wasn’t enough for Him to do what we would expect…what any other human could do.  He had in His heart since the creation of the world to do something that no one else could ever accomplish…no one except Jesus.  To come and actually live inside us. I don’t know if we truly understand the magnitude of that statement…or of what God has done for us.

We are no longer led by someone walking in front of us…or standing behind us.  Not led by someone holding our hand or pushing us from behind.  We are now guided by, led by, taught by, reminded by, the very Spirit of Jesus Who lives inside us when we confess Him as our Lord and Savior.  How can that be?  Why would someone Who is perfect, Holy and so Magnificent want to live inside someone like me and you?  There are many reasons Jesus gives in the Gospels, but two reasons are;  He will guide us into all truth and the Spirit will bring glory to Jesus from taking from Him and making it known to us. (John 16:14)

I cannot imagine my life without the guidance of His Spirit.   And now that Rick is gone as my teacher…I desperately need the Spirit to take from Jesus and make it known to me…bringing Jesus glory in the process.  We each need His guidance daily in so many ways…conviction of sin, help in decisions, speaking truth to people, direction in our service, loving others.

Since Rick died I have experienced “grief brain”, which is a very real thing after going through the loss of someone you love.  Forgetfulness, fogginess, misplacing things, etc. seem to have become a part of my daily life.  It is getting some better, but I have learned that when I have forgotten or misplaced something, the Holy Spirit has not.  There have been many times in the past few months that after misplacing or losing something…I pray and ask for help and am guided by the Spirit and find what I thought was lost.  I also have been helped so many times physically, emotionally, and in my spirit by His precious Spirit.

Isn’t that so like God to give us much more than what we deserve?  To become such a part of us that He is able to impact EVERY part of our lives.  We don’t have to wait for Him to show up in a cloud or pillar of fire to show us which way to go.  We don’t have to wait any longer for Him to run behind us and speak into our ear telling us which way to go.  At any moment of any day or night…in a car or airplane…walking or running…swimming, camping or resting…whether sad or happy…uncertain or sure…in sin or forgiveness…in grief or joy…stressed or calm…He is WITHIN US…always there to guide and help us…so that He may bring Jesus glory through us.  Oh may we become more and more aware and thankful for His presence…of His Spirit Who lives within us.  What a precious gift…

As a side bar…Jacob and Jenni’s wedding was beautiful…I know Rick would have loved every minute of it.  Our family was so blessed to be there and experience it together.  I got through our anniversary with just a few tears…and many wonderful memories.  The church voted in a new minister…Doug Martin….who begins his ministry on August 15th.  My prayer since Rick died has been that if God would allow it, to please bring someone into the church that had known Rick and our family.  God is so merciful…Doug knows Rick and I know he has great respect for Rick’s love of Spencer and his work there.  I am so thankful for that.  Another hurdle jumped over…with the help of His precious Spirit…I could not do any of this without Him.

Sending much love,

Debbie

This entry was written on July 28, 2010 at 11:45 pm