Pentacost

Living in Third Person

/ Jana / Leave a comment

How many names can you think of for the Holy Spirit?

Go ahead. Try.

Here are some I came up with: Comforter, Completer, Helper, Ezer, Warrior, Healer, Creator, Defender, Destroyer, Teacher, Guide, Counselor, Interceder

Can I get a “Wow”?  Jesus told the disciples that He had “much more” to tell them than they could now bear. “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth. “ John 16:13

So why then does it feel like we sometimes shrug off of the Holy Spirit?  The Spirit is the presence of God in the world yesterday, today, and forever. He is the heart of God hovering, moving, healing all creation.  The Spirit is the Third Person of our Triune God.

I hear a lot of talk about returning to the zest and zeal of the early church. But you know what they had?  The Holy Spirit. They were hiding in their rooms, praying and trying to figure out what to do next, when the Holy Spirit came upon them. This one fact is as startling as the Resurrection.  Because of the death and resurrection of Christ, the Holy Spirit  moved from just working in the world, (pillar of fire, talking donkey, rescuing out of the lion’s mouth, thwarting armies) to living in us (leading us out of harm’s way, healing, revealing truth, providing resources, and more).

To have the power of the Risen Christ living within us to guide us into all Truth is a miracle in itself.  Do we really tap into the Well of God within?  He is available and willing; God’s love in action in us. This is not heady, stuffy religion. This is real life involvement with a Real Life God. Do you look for, depend on, seek and find the Holy Spirit?

I have marked my calendar, May 23. It is the date of Pentecost 2010.  I know I already have all of God, but what I want to do during this season is pray what Jesus prayed for us, that our eyes might be opened so our joy will be complete.

I want to live in the Third Person.

Now That He Is Risen…

/ Jana / 1 Comment

Have you read the Day After story lately? Of just what happened after Jesus rose from the dead. (Do you ever just get startled when you read words like that?  It is really mind blowing…)

The soldiers see an angel. They faint. The women see Jesus. They weep and then run to the other followers. Then Jesus begins a series of appearances. From the Emmaus road download to two lucky listeners to the amazing 500 witnesses, He was out and and about.  Seeing and being seen. And I was pondering something.  Even when Jesus appeared to them, He was instructing and teaching of more to come. What else could there be after the dead being raised to life?

Fasten your seat belts. This could get sticky….

Lent has always nettled me a little. The idea of fasting and “denying” oneself as  a way to prepare for the death of Jesus always has seemed out of whack. I didn’t know why until this week. Of course it is a beautiful tradition. Of course fasting is a beautiful discipline. Of course we prepare our hearts each year to remember the suffering of our Lord.

But. Let’s look at what Jesus said. Even He rebuked the religious leaders of His day who wondered why His followers were not fasting. Jesus replied that you don’t fast when you are at the party. You fast when the party is over.  Or perhaps when the next party is getting ready to come. While we talk a lot about fasting and somberness prior to the Resurrection, it is only AFTER the Resurrection that Jesus instructed His followers to pray, and fast and watch.  What were they told to get ready for?

The Coming of the Holy Spirit.  The Third Person of the Trinity. Father, Son and Spirit.

Makes me wonder why we don’t throw a party celebrating Pentecost like we do Easter and Christmas. The Spirit is worthy of receiving, worthy of a party, worthy of preparing our hearts for. Makes me wonder about fasting now, after Easter, in anticipation of Pentecost. Fasting is, after all, a way to make room for more of God. It is a way to weed out those little affections that crowd out the Real love.

Think about it. There is more to come on Living in Third Person.