This week's lesson is unusual for me. I don't disagree with Dr. Tripp! In fact I really like his approach. We do live right in the middle of God's redemptive story. Every day we walk a fine line between our faith and the reality of the world we live in. I picture myself walking on a high wire with a pole being used for balance. On my left is my faith. On the right is the day to day responsibility I have. My job is to get to the end of the wire using this pole to help me "walk the wire". At times I have to stop and catch my breath and I have to use the pole to help me stay steady, but always, heading forwards.
One thing this approach helps me to do is to focus on what is important. In Philippians Paul speaks of forgetting what's behind and moving forward. You have to do that while walking the wire, or you will fall. You have to concentrate on what's ahead. You have to concentrate on the exact next step.
Hebrews gives us the Biblical definition of faith: NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see {and} the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].
I love this verse. It is packed with information that is vital to the processing of today. Walking the wire and maintaining your balance requires faith. As I take stock of my daily walk, I can use this scripture to help me keep going, especially when I can't see very far ahead!
Dr. Tripp points out that the Holy Spirit David prays for has already been given to us. I think we need to look at this in more depth. What is the Holy Spirit's mission?
John 14:16-17 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever-- The Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot receive (welcome, take to its heart), because it does not see Him or know {and} recognize Him. But you know {and} recognize Him, for He lives with you [constantly] and will be in you.
John 14:26 But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you.
John 16:7 However, I am telling you nothing but the truth when I say it is profitable (good, expedient, advantageous) for you that I go away. Because if I do not go away, the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you [into close fellowship with you]; but if I go away, I will send Him to you [to be in close fellowship with you].
I'm not sure we can quite get our arms around this. God's Spirit lives INSIDE of me and He's here to help me. That boggles my mind. I wonder if I truly believe this. At times I certainly don't act like it. Other times, I sense God's presence and wonder how I could ever doubt it. I must admit, while it's much easier to operate when I can sense God's presence so well, it is much more important for me to understand God is still there with me when I'm in over my head in whatever the crisis of the moment is. At those times, I remember Elijah standing at the mouth of the cave in 1st Kings 19. The lesson there is to look for the small voice in the middle of it all.
At the end of WWII, there were Japanese soldiers that held out long after the war was over. That is the situation we are facing with Satan and his henchmen. The war is over, but the mop up operations aren't completed yet. The rogue is still on the loose and for a time, causes us great difficulty. We must remember that we have God's spirit living inside us to comfort, guide and counsel us.
Lord: Thanks for your day to day guidance, comfort and leadership. As we walk through each day, help us to grow in faith and when we can't sense your closeness, let us rely on your word and our faith.
No comments:
Post a Comment