It’s a little shocking to me to see that it’s been four years since I posted to my blog. The reasons for this do not constitute good excuses; the fact is that I lost confidence in myself in many ways, and I let that erode my trust in God’s guidance. Still, He is always patiently at my side, in my mind and heart, and when I say “patient”, I’m talking about a quality that only the Master Himself could maintain and still have a gentle smile for me.
But enough of past failures to launch! My daily devotionals have always been an essential part of my days and have been increasingly apropos to events and relationships for me, especially in recent months. The Spirit speaks always; I listen well occasionally.
One such instance occurred on September 28th of this year. One of the passages that popped up for me to read that morning was 1 Corinthians 2:16 in the Living Bible.
“But, strange as it seems, we Christians actually do have within us a portion of the very thoughts and mind of Christ.”
This resonated with ideas from Michael Ross’ sermon on the preceding Sunday, and started a train of thought about the fire that lights up believers from within, or from on high – and can be the power that moves us to shine “like stars” and bring beautiful Sonlight to a dark world. I wrote, that day, starting with a reference to the 1 Corinthians passage:
Reading this, this morning, and thinking on it, I see that Jesus has planted in the heart of every believer — a spark of His divine presence, and with it come insights for which there is no other explanation, and often peace which truly does surpass understanding.
His spark within us is from His divine majesty, the flame that danced in the bush for Moses. And like that flame, it is not a raging, destructive fire but a brilliant radiance that illuminates and warms and guides, all without damaging in any way the things it touches of this life.
It is for us to heed the Holy Spirit’s shining grace, to listen and absorb and cherish it in our hearts and minds, that we may grow in trust and submission, to surrender more fully each day for as long as we live. To say it another way, to radiate His presence, love, and power so much that it overflows our boundaries of reticence and pride, and we share this unimaginable gift in a beautiful compelling, wherever we go. He gives to a consuming fire; it is for us to stop hiding from it and let it burn away the dross of our un-sanctified former selves.
SendOutWords.com 