I Never Thought About It

“For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him?”
~ 1 Corinthians 2:11

The world has changed.  We have to accept it as it is, to like or dislike it isn’t the task, but accept that change is no longer coming, it is here.  Can anyone, anywhere truly live in a Christian nation?  We do find it easy to give comment on the lifestyles and irreverence toward God reflected by society.  What is our response?  Do we ever give … thought … leading to tears over the emptiness of those who surround us?  Our focus narrows on people’s indifference of Godly living, no weighing the result of being without Christ.  Never giving thought to sharing what God offers for them.

I share because of an awakening given me years ago.  I asked a man about having Christ in his life.  His answer stunned me, and changed me.  He gave me an honest answer when he said,

 

 "I never thought about it."

 

We live in a society not thinking of God.  I had believed that everyone had thought about God, including salvation through Christ.  An honest man without Christ had taught me a valuable lesson.  The truth in Jesus’ words to me, you, are to be a witness and teach about Him (Matt. 28:18-20, Acts 1:8).  There is a need to think on how to approach those who have never been given an opportunity to think on the story of Christ.  Why?  They have not heard it.  Now I understand.  Others must learn the gospel story of Christ.  Paul learned and then exclaimed “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Rom. 10:15).  It may take days, months, a year or more to tell someone about Christ, but when God’s Spirit whispers, “Ask now,” ask, the reply you will hear is, “I’ve been thinking … … …”

Giving thought to emptiness,

Owen <><

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”  ~ Col. 3:2

In the Wind’s Current

“If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”

Galatians 5:25

Before being encouraged to “walk by [or in] the Spirit” we are reminded by Apostle Paul that everyone who belongs to Christ are to live “crucified” to the desires of self.  Eugene Peterson reflects on the walk in the Spirit in this way, “Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives” (Galatians 5:25 The Message). 

How do we move through life as a community and as individuals who follow Christ?  First, we need to recall that God is a Spirit and that all of our reverence, obedience, worship flows through our spirit with God (see John 4:24).  God operates and accomplishes his will through Spirit within a spiritual realm.  Our response then is first and foremost in spirit.  Thus, God’s Spirit flows and we must be in tune to the current in the “river of life” (Rev. 2:1-2).  God, then, “as a directional current encourages the church to stay in step with the Spirit [and] keeps us moving at the same pace the Spirit is taking” (Carolyn Tennant, “Catch the Wind of the Spirit”).

Chesapeake Bay:
I set sail to the “Wind’s current.”  

Living life in the flow of God’s Spirit, verses our daily grind and struggle, is why Jude shares that we are to encourage each other in the faith as we “pray in the power of the Holy Spirit” (v 20); we are also encouraged to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Eph. 6:18).  To communicate with God is to pray, a foundation of our spiritual life, each of us are spiritual being.  We have a spirit and we were made to walk in unison with Spirit.  From the moment God created people we were not left as a clump of organic material, God gave His breath, also translated as wind or spirit, of life and we “became a living being” (Gen. 2:7, 1 Cor. 15:45).  As we walk the journey of life we are to flow in the “current” of God’s Spirit, we are in other words to “live … [and] walk by the Spirit.”  In the Spirit is where we hear the whisper of God’s will, “experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand” (Philippians 4:7 NLT) and learn what His good desire is for us and how we are to serve others.

Swept away in the current,

Owen <><

We Only Hear About the Bad People

I was enjoying a ride through ranch country to my favorite lake when I realized I had poorly planned.  I heard a whop-whop-whop sound like a helicopter; then, I saw and experienced, for the first time ever, my tire tread on my boat trailer separating and going down the road.  I found myself without my tools, jack, and failed to recognize my tires were aging on my boat trailer; bad planning on my part.  But, things didn’t go bad.  I pulled off the road and the land owner came out and asked if he could help; he went by “RJ.”  Before I knew it, a jack and tools were produced and he had my demolished tire in the back of his truck and we were on our way to a tire shop in Wayne, Oklahoma.

I had good conversations with RJ and those at the tire shop we arrived at.  After RJ helped me get the tire on and would not accept any help for his kindness, I proceeded back to the tire shop and replaced the other tire on my boat trailer.  No more ill prepared chances for me.  

As I finished up business I mentioned to the owner how good his employees were to me and how and kind RJ was.  He looked up from his paperwork and said, “We only hear about the bad people, never the good people like RJ and the majority of folks.”  He continued, “That’s why I always read Proverbs a couple or more times a year.  I read my Bible every day, but it is so easy to read Proverbs in a month, it has thirty-one chapters, you know.”  We talked a while, as we did, he continually mentioned his church and he then said, “Proverbs is important, anytime a young person asks me what they need to read in the Bible I tell them, ‘Read the book of John and Proverbs, read Proverbs a couple of times.’ I tell them Proverbs is important because it teaches us how we should live.”

As my business ended, I departed a very feeling good inside due to a wonderful conversation with a good man in a simple conversation, having been served by good people, and most of all I had been helped by a kind, good man, RJ.  Lastly, I and you need to remember the great book of wisdom, Proverbs:

“For the Lord gives wisdom;

from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
guarding the paths of justice
and watching over the way of his saints.
Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path;
for wisdom will come into your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
discretion will watch over you,
understanding will guard you, …”
~ Proverbs 2:6-11

Blessing, goodness, and wisdom be with you,

Owen <><