Fellowship of the Spirit

In my youth I learned we (meaning our church and by implication other Churches of Christ) believe in the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then there was an unspoken shhh, relative to the Spirit. Adding to the mystery was the prevalent translation of the word for Spirit at the time, “ghost.” So we believe in a ghost, I thought. Did he resemble “Casper the friendly ghost,” but with a more serious tone? Shhh.

As I began to preach an older preacher once quantified the shhh, I had known, saying “there are two subjects I will not preach on.” I’m not sure what one was, but the other was the indwelling of the Spirit. He was apparently informed about the shhh.

I made a habit of collecting bible literature at each church I visited, when I was in Jr. High and Sr. High; when going to the occasional Christian bookstore; and even once spent food money on bible study material while attending a church workshop. Amidst the material I found one booklet on the Holy Spirit. I don’t recall what it said, but my curiosity was piqued by its novelty.

Spirit, Ghost, shhh. Enough said! Any serious question about his role invited a clear answer. “I don’t know. There is just not much in scripture on the Spirit. But, we believe Him!” “Absolutely!”

In retrospect if I grew up in a Trinitarian church it was more by unquestioned acceptance it was so. A bystanders perception would more likely have labeled us binitarian (God the Father and God the Son). And looking back I wonder to what extent our fellowship was weakened by a lack of influence on the Spirit. To what extent have we incurred a tendency to split and divide over a myriad of disagreements? To what extent have we been less effective in missions? To what extent have we been to impassionate about our faith?

So, the challenge before us is to overcome the encumbrance behind us by noting the discussion within scripture on the Spirit, to incorporate Spirit language into our faith practice, and to invite the Spirit into our lives. Our lives are to be filled with the Spirit, and to the extent we enjoy the influence in our ignorance and due to God’s grace how might our faith change if such influence came through active acknowledgement?

Stop and Laugh

Is there enough laughter in your world? This past week the move toward Christmas has signaled the arrival of Salvation Army bell ringers at the doors of Wal-Mart and Kroger. And every one of them dons a smile to go with the word of good cheer. That’s not laughter, but it is just shy of it. By appearance I doubt it would take much to rattle the lungs.

What’s the point? The world is too uptight. We grown about wars a sea away, but we live in a sea of conflict where we are, at home, work, maybe even church. I cast my vote to relax a little, imitate the bell ringers, and smile a lot, a whole lot.

If we are serious about a long and healthy life then we should be a little more serious about being a little less serious. If we want our children to have a happy childhood then we need to give it to them by showing them how to laugh at ourselves, smile in the face of failure, and lift our chins in the wake of disappointment.

We laugh too little! Not in my house! Not in my office! Of course there are times when the call is for a tear, quiet, reverence, but the sanctity of the spirit breaking into a joyful laugh is but a moment away. Does it make us irreverent, immature, or unrealistic?  I think it means we are happy!

As Christians we are in the world but not of the world we say. That does not mean we are licensed to hold the posture of frown as if it were the Divine default for the righteous. 

A Cold Night's Reflection

Computer screen up, warm house providing a cushion from the cold, and sitting in reflection! The Christmas lights and garland adorning the mantle, our mantle; it is so great to be in our own home after leasing for three years; and a little coffee, tepid temperature, still in the cup. Yes, I am prepped to scribe thoughtful and worthwhile words. You judge the worth naturally!

Every week has a theme, some more poignant than others; and this week thoughts of our tendency to cling to comfort zones, on a wide range of issues, has arisen at several normal daily junctures. By “our” I am thinking of my own heritage of faith. We embrace the Scriptures as divinely inspired words, but do we then take away from it the positions and pronouncements we carry into it?

What does it mean to be open to the Lord’s lead? What does it mean to be convicted by the Scripture? What does it mean to describe ourselves as learners? How serious are we about being challenged each time we open the Scripture? Is it really possible to change what you think?

As I currently preach through the Book of Hebrews which presents difficult Greek; and deep and at times illusive ideas, I find myself reading it over and over looking both for new meaning and a creative way to perform the homiletical (preaching) task. At moments I have more questions than answers and realize what I have to deliver is anything, but a nicely orchestrated message with closure at each juncture. It is as if I will go into the pulpit, open the doors in the minds of the listeners, and step out of the pulpit leaving the doors still open and a cold breeze drifting into the room. How can people possibly be satisfied with that?

Tonight I completed a book asking me to think thoughts which are not comfortable and imagine perspectives altering perceptions I have long held. I’m not resentful toward the author for the disturbance, but I could certainly have lived without it. Yet the question is not about living without it, as in survival. It is about spiritual growth, stretching the heart and mind. That’s the problem with comfort zones they keep you homebound when you could get out and enjoy the outdoors. Do a little yard work. Visit a friend. Jog around the block. Homebound is the experience of the aging, but it is not the preferred journey.

Bottom line, I need to read the Scripture to be transformed and be willing to step out in faith instead of staying home in fear! The goal is not comfort, but conviction; it is not in a sense security, but adventure.