Romans 8:23 (New Living Translation)

"And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us."

Praying God’s Will in Confusion

It can be difficult to pray for God's will to be done (Matthew 6.9-13), especially when we are filled with confusion because the unknown is all we see dominating the path in front of us. That is why we must follow the encouragement of Colossians 3.1 and "set our hearts on things above". This is not just a spiritual platitude but a concrete manifestation of our position in Jesus! As the verse continues, this is "where Christ is seated at the right hand of God". Jesus is walking through the unknown with us, interceding for us.

And do not forget the ministry of the Holy Spirit. When we can only groan, because our circumstances are too difficult for us to even pray, the Holy Spirit groan Himself to the Father—identifying with our frustrations (Romans 8.26,27). NOTE: it is through this work of the Spirit that "God works for the good of those who love Him" (Romans 8.28). May we yield control to the Holy Spirit as He leads us in the Father's will (Romans 8. 27)!

Kingdom Living in Difficulties

Regardless of our circumstances we are to be worshipers. It has been said by Barry Webb that our "life together is to be a visible sign that the kingdom of God—His reign of perfect justice and righteousness—is just around the corner, breaking in and already making its presence felt". As we pray through whatever is on our, or another's, plate consider how God might manifest His kingdom reign in each situation and into each person. Read through Jesus' sermon on the mount in Matthew chapters 5 through 7, especially the beatitudes in 5.3-12: "Blessed are...for they will…". Even when we are at the bottom of our rope, Jesus still wants to work in our lives.

Allowing the Holy Spirit to Control Us

Ephesians 3:16-21 (New Living Translation)
16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

Tenacious Faith

Tenacious faith I know and yet begrudge.
I'd like a faith of ecstasy and cheer,
Or even faith of penitence and fear
Of God, the omnipresent Father-Judge.
Easy faith, happy faith—a call,
A gift? Why not mine? My walk is fretful
Fumble-feeling, wander-wondering, wishful
Stumble-striving for that plane where Paul
(And others) seem to live ebulliently.
He (and they) feel sure that neither life,
Nor death, nor angels, no, not this world rife
With powers may undo capriciously.

Increase my faith, my Lord (I do believe).

Send rain to this dry land: revive, relieve!

—Jeffrey Arthurs

God Never Changes. Therefore…

The character of God is the foundation for our lives. In Isaiah 57.15 we see that God is both beyond us and with us through our life journey. Consider Christ, the nearness of God. Andrew Murray articulated this idea very well:

"It has been said that the holiness of God is the union of God's infinite distance from sinful man with God's infinite nearness in His redeeming grace. Faith must ever seek to realize both the distance and the nearness."

We see this distance and nearness as manifested in Jesus. Paul in 2 Corinthians 5.21 reminds us that Jesus is completely holy, unlike us, like us yet He provides for our salvation and comes close to us, in that "He who knew no sin became sin for us". Also consider that John 1.14 tells us Jesus "came (to us) from the Father, full of grace and truth".

Finally, contemplate the ministry of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2.33 now that Jesus is sitting at the right hand of the Father (transcendent and away from us) yet He is interceding our prayers (immanent and with us).

Thanks be to the Father for the revelation of His Son, Jesus Christ, through whom we can come near to God as we experience the Holy Spirit!