Month: October 2024

A Dove on Your Shoulder

“We are 100 percent responsible for the pursuit of holiness, but at the same time we are 100 percent dependent upon the Holy Spirit to enable us in that pursuit.” ~ Jerry Bridges

If you’re like me, we have our devotional time in the morning, reading our Bibles and praying. Then the day begins and it’s hard to turn our attention to God.

So, what can we do to draw ourselves again and again into the realm of the spirit where Jesus lives, where God can speak, and where we can find power and direction for our daily lives?

Sometimes we engage our holy imaginations. In her book Soaking in the Spirit, Carol Arnott reminds us that the Holy Spirit is referenced in Scripture as a dove. So she suggests that we imagine Him as a dove sitting on our shoulder. Maybe that’s not so odd considering the Bible tells us the Holy Spirit is the paraclete, meaning “one who comes alongside”. Sometimes it’s translated as helper, counselor, or advocate. Imagining that Holy Spirit Dove alongside me has been a reminder to me to talk to him all day long – to look for his approval and listen to his guidance about what I do, say, and even think.

Maybe that idea is too “way out there” for many of you, but it has helped me. What do you do to remind yourself to talk to our God all day long? To look to him for direction and empowerment? Feel free to post a method that works for you. Your “tip” may help someone else walk in step with God’s Spirit.

“The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord.” – Isaiah 11:2

Hearts on Fire

“All change comes from deepening your understanding of the salvation of Christ and living out the changes that understanding creates in your heart.” – Timothy Keller

If you live in the United States, as I do, you are buried under political discourse and, almost always, it laments the condition of our world and claims one political party or the other can make it better.

As Christians, though, we realize only God can make lasting changes, and he has designated Jesus as the ruler of this world. The problems around us are beyond the ability of mere humans to fix – though we shouldn’t give up trying!

But let’s envision something much bigger than government or politics: A people of God so committed to him that they stand out as being different from the rest of the world. Those who understand both the promises of eternity and the joys and sorrows of living in the here and now, and, somehow, they live fully into that tension.

Don’t you sometimes hunger to have a passion for God that changes everything? A burning deep inside you that has to praise him and overflows with love for others? If everyone who claimed Christ as Savior had that kind of passion for him, our world would be changed – not through politics or revolution, but through Jesus’s people showing him and his love to the everyone around us.

When the hearts of Jesus’s followers are right, the real needs of this world will be met, and God will be glorified. I’m praying for revival within the hearts of the followers of Jesus – starting with me. Are you in?

I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. – Isaiah 57:15b

Letting Him Speak

“When God speaks to you, he is not writing a new book of Scripture; rather, he is applying to your life what he has already said in his Word.” – Henry Blackaby

Ready for a spiritual experiment? Try this:

Worship Jesus. Adore him for who he is, what he’s done, and what he promises.

Remember. Ask him to bring to help you remember a story about him from one of the Gospels. See which event comes to mind (don’t sort through several – just take the first one).

Meditate for a few minutes on that story.

For me recently it was the account of Jesus raising Jairus’s daughter. The detail I zeroed in on was that, though there were many people there, Jesus allowed only three to go in with him. My heart went immediately to “I want to be one of the three!” I want to be close to Jesus, one of his most trusted companions, one who can see everything he does and hear everything he says.

Draw a conclusion.

Jesus reminded me that, if I wanted to be like Peter, James, and John, I need to stay close to him and not lag behind. I need to ask questions and listen for answers. I need to suggest things I’d like him to do and then learn from his response – just as they did throughout the Gospels.

When we give Jesus our attention, he responds. His response encourages us and deepens our desire for more of him. If you’re ready for that connection, you might want to try a spiritual experiment like this one.

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” – John 16:13

Make it a bird.

“Resilience is really about the life of God flowing into us and remaking us, renewing us, transforming us, and transfiguring all of the broken pieces of our lives into something that is whole, something that reflects God.” – Adam Bucko

I learned something important recently when I went to a painting class with my daughters and granddaughter: If you accidentally get a black spot of paint in your blue sky, it’s no problem according to our instructor. Don’t give up. Don’t try to erase it. Don’t despair. Just make it into a bird!

So, I have to ask: Is there a smudge in your life? Something you never saw coming and now have to adjust to? Or something you regret in the recent or far distant past? Or something someone else did to you that you’re having a hard time forgiving? And all you can see is that black spot.

Don’t give up. Don’t try to erase it. Don’t despair. Let the Master Painter incorporate it into his perfect plan. Hand him the brush. He can make it into something that fits into the picture he has been painting all along.

I call that resilience. We don’t give up, but we allow God to remake us, as the quote above says, into something that reflects him. We see the smudge. He sees the bird and the beauty and life it will add to the picture. I imagined what he might be painting for me now, and saw an awesome flock of birds!

The picture improves when we take our smudges, mistakes, accidents, or pain to him and then stand back and watch in amazement at what he will do.

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.” – 2 Corinthians 3:18a

Being There

“God never works needless miracles. If his purposes can be accomplished by ordinary means, he will not use miraculous agency.” – Charles Spurgeon

When we’re sick, James tell us we should pray and God will respond. But, we know he doesn’t always respond with healing. Sometimes he sends help in more human ways. Why? Because he wants us to learn to help each other whatever the needs: sickness, relationship struggles, finances, depression, or loneliness. When we reach out to help, we have an opportunity to form bonds that wouldn’t happen in any other way. And isn’t that what we all want? Authentic, God-honoring relationships.

So, if we are paying attention to people around us, we are going to find someone in need. How can we help?

Listen/respond: Sometimes just letting a person express their frustration, pain, or sadness helps. Then, if we can respond with a positive word, it might be enough to get them through another day. We should never underestimate the power of wise or comforting words to help and to heal.

Help: There are times when there’s something specific we can do – make a meal, perform a household repair, provide transportation, take care of kids, pay for an expense, and, always, pray.

Be cheerful: Those who are carrying great burdens need to see a smile now and then. Cheerfulness is catching, so we can help and encourage with joy.

Acknowledge the truth: We need to agree with people in need that we see their struggle, we know it’s hard, and we care about them. God loves them, and he will never leave them. We can share whatever truths they need to hear.

Maybe we can be someone’s answer to prayer today.

 “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds . . . encouraging one another . . .” – Hebrews 10:24-25