Life Changing Truth

The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:26–28)

Read the words of the passage from Roman’s above. Read them again. Sit with them. Does anything strike you or stand out to you? If not, read them again. Seriously, read them again.

Contained within these four sentences are amazing truths about God; amazing truths that if grasped even a little bit will change your world. I cannot overemphasize the bigness or the goodness of these truths: If you have put your trust in Jesus:

God calls you to a life of purpose, uniquely designed for you. God knows you, all of you – more fully than anybody else, more fully than yourself. God seeks your good — all the time. God walks with you in your weaknesses, in your strengths and in the in betweens. God groans with you when you are in pain. God (the Spirit) prays to God (the Father) for you, pleading for your needs (the needs he knows even better than you do).

Think through the ramifications of each of these in your actual day to day life. These truths (if believed) these promises (if claimed) will shape and inform every waking moment of every day, every relationship, every decision, every conversation, every frustration.

This is total immersion Christianity, Christianity the way it was meant to be lived; ordinary people immersed — baptized if you will — in the name, the reputation, the character of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. And when that becomes reality in your life? You will find yourself living the extraordinary way described through the pages of the Bible: non-anxious regardless of circumstances, at peace even when it makes no sense, inner contentment regardless of your circumstances, the ability to do any circumstance with joy, all empowered by Jesus’ strength. And those just hit just the very tip of the ice burg.

The promises in the Bible were never intended to be nice sayings to put an bumper sticker or uplifting words to overlay a poster with pictures of kittens on it. They are meant describe what it looks like when the reality of Jesus infuses your actual life. And when it does, it is extraordinary, it is revolutionary.

This week I lost my mom. Of course, I am sad, confused, moving toward a bit of anger — mourning. But, the reality of my mom’s death is lived in the reality of God’s presence and promises; he is groaning with me, he is in control even when life seems out of control, he is for me and my good, he is with me in my weakness. That does not make it “all better,” that would be just odd and Pollyannish. But then he knows that it does not make it “all better,” and is with me even still. Thank you all for your prayers, cards, thoughts and the like this past week.

Peace, hope and love

Doug