Something to Think About

Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. 

 - Matthew 16

The idea of living in the Spirit is, I believe, a lot different than what we have been told, or taught. People that are "in the spirit," make a lot of show with it. They give you lots of visuals - hands waving, dancing, smiling, crying. And there's nothing wrong with all that.

An interesting observation someone made to me once, and I had to think about it and even check it out for myself, was that the people that are the most demonstrative in their worship expressions, tend to be the people most likely to be stand offish, judgmental, angry, patronizing. Now far be it from me to make a sweeping statement like that. But I think the point is, if you're going to make a show of your faith, then make doubly sure that people do not also observe you being gossipy, judgmental, haughty.

Christ says that the way of flesh and blood is the opposite of the way of the Father. The Spirit of God, the godly life, is not to be evidenced by shows common to the works of the flesh. The flesh makes a show of it. It is based on hearing, touching, seeing, feeling . . . even tasting and smelling. You know - the human senses. 

But with God, is all about what you can't see. And we can't see what goes on inside the mind. When Peter knew that Jesus was the Son of God, it was something he had to put his intellect into. Yes, he was touched by God's spirit. Yes, he felt something stir within him. Like John Wesley, he might have felt a "strange warmth" in his chest. I have experienced that tugging on your heart, when you feel as though a power outside yourself is pushing you forward.

But the will of God, and our worship of Him, is activated also, willfully, in our minds. 

So - - - while it is essential that we show our faith in acts of love, and in service to one another, and in the pursuit of justice and peace; still, as we think it through, and weigh the evidence, and discuss it with others; as we get away from our feelings (which can be massaged in a rock concert as easily as they can in a worship service), let us enter into the throne of grace, where our minds and eyes behold the God of the Universe.