We have had hot weather lately and we have a new, tiny, baby goat. So I have been fussing like a mother hen trying to make sure that our precious new life continues to grow. It seems like babies never come into the world under ideal circumstances. Often times it is too cold and other times, like now, it is too hot. New life is fragile. All life is fragile.
Just like I tend and care for my new little kid goat, so does God care and tend me. I was thinking about the importance of the work of the Spirit in our lives and I am reminded in caring for new life of the work that Spirit does for me everyday. When we give our lives to God and volunteer for service, we are really like new babies, neophytes really from a cosmic standpoint. We were born on a fallen planet. We spend most of our lives being controlled by our ego and desires. Creating a new direction and growing into a mature light worker in the Universe takes a lot of watchful care by the Spirit.
I can choose to keep God on the outside of my life. I can worship from a distance. I can believe but not be consumed. I can trust partially but not relinquish my will. But I can also choose to have an in-dwelling God. I can choose to invite God into my very heart and soul and request a complete inner makeover. The good news is that God/Spirit not only makes over my insides, my outside becomes more beautiful as well.
The Spirit’s work is never ending. If I choose and continue to seek God, the Bible promises me that I will receive my heart’s desires and that Spirit will form a permanent connection with me. This motivates me to keep the Spirit in my life by making time for spiritual practice, by reviewing everyday where I have excluded God from my life and living a life of gratitude for all that God is doing for me.
Things come along in life that irritate and annoy. The Spirit in my life helps me to deal with things gracefully. If I choose to indulge negative feelings and thoughts it makes the Spirit’s work more difficult. It is kind of like having a new baby in the hot weather. Life dishes out a lot of hot weather and Spirit is always on the lookout for ways to help us see that keeping our cool is in our best interests.
The Bible tells us that the Spirit is a Comforter, an Advocate, and a Counselor. If God lives within my very heart, I am never alone. When I am grieving, the Spirit acts as a Comforter and friend. When I am facing a spiritual battle, The Advocate steps in to fight my battle and assures me victory. When I am confused and don’t know which way to go, my Counselor is right there to help me know which way to turn.
Learning to hear the voice of Spirit requires time. Meditation helps open up my heart and soul to hear the voice of Spirit in my life. By consistently spending time in quiet meditation with my mind quietly resting on the promises of God; I learn to know the voice of my True Friend. God’s voice becomes very real. Although not audible, I know that God is dwelling in me and helping me.
The Apostle Paul talked much about the in-dwelling Christ. Jesus promised His disciples that when He left the Comforter would come. This is the Spirit of God that nurtures and grows us. Jesus wept over Jerusalem saying, “I would have gathered you under my wings like a mother hen gathers her chicks, but you wouldn’t let me.” This is the feminine aspect of God, crying out to gather us together, protect us from evil, and restore in us the kingdom of God.
I can hear the Spirit’s voice wooing us and pleading that we will allow ourselves to be mothered in the protecting, loving, arms of God. I can’t help but be drawn into such love. How about you?
Just like I tend and care for my new little kid goat, so does God care and tend me. I was thinking about the importance of the work of the Spirit in our lives and I am reminded in caring for new life of the work that Spirit does for me everyday. When we give our lives to God and volunteer for service, we are really like new babies, neophytes really from a cosmic standpoint. We were born on a fallen planet. We spend most of our lives being controlled by our ego and desires. Creating a new direction and growing into a mature light worker in the Universe takes a lot of watchful care by the Spirit.
I can choose to keep God on the outside of my life. I can worship from a distance. I can believe but not be consumed. I can trust partially but not relinquish my will. But I can also choose to have an in-dwelling God. I can choose to invite God into my very heart and soul and request a complete inner makeover. The good news is that God/Spirit not only makes over my insides, my outside becomes more beautiful as well.
The Spirit’s work is never ending. If I choose and continue to seek God, the Bible promises me that I will receive my heart’s desires and that Spirit will form a permanent connection with me. This motivates me to keep the Spirit in my life by making time for spiritual practice, by reviewing everyday where I have excluded God from my life and living a life of gratitude for all that God is doing for me.
Things come along in life that irritate and annoy. The Spirit in my life helps me to deal with things gracefully. If I choose to indulge negative feelings and thoughts it makes the Spirit’s work more difficult. It is kind of like having a new baby in the hot weather. Life dishes out a lot of hot weather and Spirit is always on the lookout for ways to help us see that keeping our cool is in our best interests.
The Bible tells us that the Spirit is a Comforter, an Advocate, and a Counselor. If God lives within my very heart, I am never alone. When I am grieving, the Spirit acts as a Comforter and friend. When I am facing a spiritual battle, The Advocate steps in to fight my battle and assures me victory. When I am confused and don’t know which way to go, my Counselor is right there to help me know which way to turn.
Learning to hear the voice of Spirit requires time. Meditation helps open up my heart and soul to hear the voice of Spirit in my life. By consistently spending time in quiet meditation with my mind quietly resting on the promises of God; I learn to know the voice of my True Friend. God’s voice becomes very real. Although not audible, I know that God is dwelling in me and helping me.
The Apostle Paul talked much about the in-dwelling Christ. Jesus promised His disciples that when He left the Comforter would come. This is the Spirit of God that nurtures and grows us. Jesus wept over Jerusalem saying, “I would have gathered you under my wings like a mother hen gathers her chicks, but you wouldn’t let me.” This is the feminine aspect of God, crying out to gather us together, protect us from evil, and restore in us the kingdom of God.
I can hear the Spirit’s voice wooing us and pleading that we will allow ourselves to be mothered in the protecting, loving, arms of God. I can’t help but be drawn into such love. How about you?