Thursday, October 19, 2017

Leaving the Door UNLOCKED for God's Spirit

Thursday, October 19, 2017
“But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going.  Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you.  But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come.  If I do go away, then I will send him to you.  And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. 
John 16:5-8(NLT)
When our youngest child, Carrie (now a mother of two boys) was only 7, her best friend, Amber lived just around the corner from our house.  Sometimes this duo would play at Amber’s house, and sometimes at ours.  Whenever the after-school play was away from home, Carrie knew she had to be home before dark.  Most times she made it.  One time it was well after the street lights came on that we spotted her coming down our street towards the house.  I decided to make an important point about the missed curfew.  I stood (silently, but rather menacing) in the carport, arms folded with appropriate “Dad-scowl” on.  Carrie, our little princess was skipping home, singing a carefree child’s song, and never saw me standing in the dark shadow of the doorway…until she was right in front of me.  She stopped dead in her tracks like a head-on collision, looked-up at my dead-pan face, with the blood drained from her own face, white as a sheet, remembering the curfew, and proclaimed in a small, stage whisper:  I’m dead meat!
I have to admit it was really…I mean REALLY hard to keep my smile hidden, much less keep the belly-laugh that wanted to burst-out of me down where it belonged.  It was even harder to impose the sentence of a weeks’ worth of no-play after school.  After all, she’d gotten it; it was a momentary, childish lapse of thought…and she was only 7 with a ton of remorse.  We let her off with a warning.
The remarkable thing to me was that I never had to say a word.  Conscience, presence, and the working of God’s Spirit to bring righteousness to the surface was what that situation needed – not another sermon.  Sure, my child felt guilty – some guilt is warranted when you’ve stepped over the line.  The fact that she felt guilty is a mark that God’s Spirit was working in her.  That is what Jesus told the disciples would happen when the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, would come to bring conviction to the hearts of people everywhere.  Some guilt is necessary and good, particularly when it points you in the direction of Heaven.
There is a decided “no-vote” in our culture today – against morality and judgment.  Everything and anything that remotely suggests a flaw in sexuality, relationships, conversation or lifestyle behavior is seen as judgmental; say it twice and you’re guilty of a hate crime.  Mention God while you’re saying it and you are a Bible-thumping bigot.
Today’s generation wants everyone to be accepted and feel accepted.  However, lifestyle choices that are 180° opposite of what Scripture declares as righteous, is what makes people uncomfortable around people who are attempting to live a life surrendered to God’s will.  You mostly don’t have to say a word; the Spirit of God will be in the midst of your relationships with others.  Those who live rebellious lives, apart from God and refusing to submit to His will, inevitably blame the Christians in front of them; if you’re the target…if you’re the dead meat for their anger, so be it; it is the Holy Spirit of God they’re fighting against – not you.

For You Today

Some guilt is holy.  Sometimes people need to see their sin, and feel the reproving of the Spirit. 
Most times it is a wise thing to lock your lips, and leave the door open and unlocked for God’s Spirit to do what He wills…not what you think.
You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road…have a blessed day!

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[1] Title Image: Courtesy of:  Pixabay.com

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