Jonah, Part II: Jonah and the Pit

Reader, do you ever look at pain and sorrow as a gift? Is my emptiness and confusion a gift? Was the fish that swallowed Jonah a gift from God to the people of Nineveh?

           

The Prayer

In his classic work, The Imitation of Christ, the blunt Thomas á Kempis wrote, "Nothing given by the Most High God is insignificant. And if he should give you pain and sorrow, you ought be thankful, too. For whatever he permits he does for our own good."

Lately, through cloudy personal circumstances, I've come to a place where I often take inventory of what I have. What has God given me? I'm not talking about material things or possessions as much as the places and times He's given me. Who is in my line of sight? What are the circumstances in which God has intentionally placed me? Why?

            I've mentioned in previous entries the importance of being attentive believers who notice God's instruments. The Spirit will teach us "all things" and if we call ourselves followers of Jesus Christ, listening and watching Him is our lifestyle (John 14:26). God's intentions are never frivolous. God's motives and His means should never be overlooked. He is actively involved in our everyday lives. To Him there are no "spiritual matters" divorced from "physical matters." Every part of our lives are spiritual because we are spiritual beings. God-breathed beings.

            After trying to flee from God by boat, Jonah is thrown overboard in an attempt to calm the raging storm. Here's the memorable climax to the narrative… Jonah gets swallowed up by a giant fish. For three days and three nights he sat alone in darkness in the belly of a fish. Jonah cries out to God. Isn't it funny that a man who runs from God can also, at the same instant, call upon God?! The Thing that scares Jonah the most is the very same Thing that calms him. The very judgment of which God wished to warn Nineveh was now Jonah's judgment: Hell. There is significance in anything He permits or creates.

            While in the belly of fish, Jonah reached a crossroads. At this point, he could have kept running from God by choosing to ignore Him. He could've just sat in darkness waiting to die. Instead, though, something profound happens: Jonah prays. His voice, perhaps in a violent scream, reverberates off of the fish's malodorous loins. One might expect his prayer to be one of abhorrent rage or even a plea for death… or the opposite… a miracle. Instead, Jonah prays in Hebrew's perfect tense. He prays "from the depths of Sheol" a confident, faith-full prayer that sounds as if he's already been saved: "In my distress I called to the Lord and he answered me." He goes beyond a recognition of God's saving power as he begins to utter thanksgiving: "But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you" (v. 9). Isn't this the same man who ran from God at all costs? This doesn't sound like a man who is in Hell. This sounds like a changed man… like a new man. Hold on... newness inside Jonah's darkest hour? Yes, God can create even in our "pit." He only gives. 

            Eventually, God commands the fish to spit Jonah out (v. 10).

            He was saved. This begs the question… What in the world was God thinking? Why was Jonah put through all of that? God placed him in Hell for three days and three nights! What's going on here?

            Jonah's damnation was far from fruitless. As the opening of this entry suggests, nothing God does is haphazard. God makes no rash decisions. He only makes perfectly just and impeccably planned decisions. I like to think that Jonah sat in the fish for maybe two days and contemplated his life. I wonder if he sat there covered in seaweed (2:5) as he was struck with a thought: The Lord my God is faithful. He has never left me or forsaken me. Though I am in the pit of Hell, my God is still worthy to be praised. I like to think that that's what initiated his prayer.

           

The Hellish Gift

           

            Chapter 3 finally uncovers the mystery of Jonah's hellish experience. God was able to use him to speak to the people of Nineveh. If it weren't for his damnation, perhaps Jonah never would have been broken enough to call upon the Lord. He probably would have been sleeping in the belly of a boat ignoring the wave-breaking breath of God.

            So, now you see, Reader, Sheol was not only Jonah's gift from God, but also Nineveh's gift from God. God only creates, gives, and restores. His gifts do not look like normal worldly gifts (Matthew 7:11, John 14:27). No, no, no. His gifts keep on giving. They transform, bleed, penetrate, breath, sparkle, and they breed. He is our gift and we are His.

            I want to be as clear as I can here, Dear Reader. I'm NOT suggesting in any way that God brings calamity or that He likes to strike us down like an angry grandpa. All I am suggesting is that it is God's will to save every man (John 3:16-17, 12:32  and countless other references!). God desires an intimate relationship with all of us and He does all that He can to romance us into His grace. Sometimes that looks weird and sometimes it looks confusing. But it always turns out to be grace. It always turns out to be far better than we could've imagined. God cannot be overestimated.

            My point, Reader, is this: Don't, whatever you do, overlook the Holy Spirit's attempt to save you. For Jonah it happened to be three days and three nights in the belly of a giant fish. For Jesus it was three days and three nights in a tomb. Both were spent in darkness and both begot salvation (Matthew 12:40). We must keep an eye out for God's gifts and we must learn to respond to them with tender hearts. I need to be attentive to what the Spirit is teaching me and mindful of the ways in which He chooses to speak. Sometimes it even looks like death, but He is life.  

Jonah, Part I: Jonah and His Way

Preface

            I find the story of Jonah to be one of the most fascinating books of the Bible. Of course, as I've grown up I've heard this story probably one hundred and seventy three times. In the last year, though, I've read it with new eyes. It is such a classic story that is repeated again and again in Sunday School classrooms. Because of that, though, I believe that adults fail to recognize the enormity of the narrative. The climax is easily recalled, but the aftermath is completely lost. It only takes up about a page in my Bible, but the lessons I've gathered from it are innumerable. I'm about to jump into it, so, Reader, I'd suggest that you read it again if it's been a while.

…here we go…

The Word

"The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai," says verse one. Let's stop there. I always thought of Jonah as a rebel. You know… someone who is running from God; someone who displeases the Lord. While that may be true, that ought not be the summation of Jonah's character. "The word of the Lord came to Jonah…" because he was a righteous man who sought after God's will. Whenever we read about the word of the Lord, change takes place. God's word, His breath, is irrevocable and unimaginably creative. John wrote: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning." (John 1:1-2). God's Word creates. We must tune our ears to the perfect pitch of God's whisper. Applied to the life of Jonah, we can gather that he was familiar with his "shepherd's voice" as he heard God say, "Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me." (vs. 2). Yes, Jonah may have run from the Lord, but we must not write him off as a bad man. It takes an attentive and sensitive believer to live a life quiet enough to feel God's breath. And it takes hearing God's voice to run from it; it takes someone who knows what's straight to know what is crooked.

           

The Great Contradiction

            Jonah was a righteous man who listened to God's voice and cried out to God in times of stress (2:1-9). At the same time, though, he would rather die than to carry out the will of God (1:12 and 4:3). When the sailors on his boat asked him who he was, his definition was something similar to what we might say: "I… worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land" (1:9). Jonah knew, as the demons do, that God exists, but he expanded to say that he worshiped God. Yet, he still denied God's command.

Since Adam, we, as followers of Jesus Christ, share the same contradiction as Jonah. In our hearts and with our mouths we confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. We boldly declare that God created the heavens and the earth. We deny all other gods and burn all of our idols. We go to church on Sunday (maybe even Wednesday, too!) and worship our Lord and Savior. God asks us, Who do you say I am? to which we respond, You are the Christ! We are Pro-Life because we know God created all of us with purpose and with a soul. We know and teach that God is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. We tithe. We send money to Africa. We love the poor and treat others as we want to be treated. With faith we pray for miracles. We disciple others and lift each other up in prayer, believing that God can do great things. Our ears are acutely tuned to God's harp and we spend time with Him behind closed doors. Yes, we say, Our God is above others and He knows all. Yet, when it comes to allowing God to have His will carried out in us, we tarry. 

            We carry in the same Body that finds shabat in the arms of God the contradictive spirit that denies His will. I love the way Eugene Peterson elegantly phrased it: "Defining God down to the level of our emotions, and thinking and then demanding that God work by the terms of our agenda, is set aside in favor of a life of worship and prayer, obedience and love-- a way of life open and responsive to what God is doing rather than one in which we plot strategies to get God involved in what we are doing." God does not exist to be a part of what my life is about. I shouldn't walk around everyday trying to fit God into my working, eating, playing, talking, etcetera. Rather, we exist to fit into God's Orchestration. We have been invited to join in God's Great Dance. It's not ours. So, the question here is this: Do you or don't you believe that God knows all and works together all things according to His will? It is black and white. If you do believe that God is omniscient and omnipotent, your life should look differently. It should be one bent on serving God's purposes. We should be a fearless group of people. It is the essence of our faith. Running from God is an activity set aside for those who deny God's existence. "But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved." (Hebrews 10:39)  

The Importance of Solitude

                 I am a quiet person by nature. Not shy… just quiet. That is, I am perfectly content spending time by myself and I actually gain energy by being alone. To be honest, I strongly dislike that part of my personality. It is both a blessing and a curse. I've learned to accept the way I am… but, yes, I try to weed out the negative side of my introversion. Many of my friends and family members are leery of my "lone wolf" disposition. They warn me of it's dangers. I recognize them very well by now. I understand the fact that God is a God of community. His greatest tool is the Body of Christ… the Church. I get that. God didn't intend for us to be alone. I'm often reminded of verses like, "Where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them" (Matthew 18:20). Much of the time, the very voice of God is communicated through His disciples. I understand that.

Frankly, though, I grow tired of getting push back for my time alone. I believe that one of the most neglected disciplines in the Christian faith today is that of solitude. Introversion has gotten a bad wrap. I wish to take this time to dispel some of the rumors and to highlight some of the benefits. Introversion is not inherently wrong. Yes, it has been abused and it needs to be balanced with fellowship, but it is not all wrong. When it is abused, it leads to selfishness… and selfishness ALWAYS leads to sin. It can facilitate comfort and stunt personal growth. However, it is a necessity to the Christian walk. The key is to balance it with community life. God-centered solitude is absolutely crucial and ironically leads to less of you.

Every follower of Christ would agree that it is crucial to hear the voice of God, to feel God's love, and to learn from God. Yes, God wishes to communicate through His followers, but we also need to understand that He wishes to speak to us as individuals. The way God depicts His love for us is less like a pop-star who screams I love you! to thousands of fans from a stage and more like a father tucking his child into bed at night whispering You are my beloved. His love is not only a corporate, sort of blanket statement, but it is also deeply individualistic. If my dad only told my siblings and mother that he loved us when we were all together as a family how would I know that he truly loved me? If my dad never looked at me in the eye and said, Kyle, I love you, then I would never know it. The same is true with our Heavenly Father. If we only spend time around other people to worship God, how will we experience growth? What's the best way to get to know someone: By spending time with him in a large group or by taking her out to coffee? It's obvious. One-on-one interaction is always more intimate. The same is true in our relationship with the Lord of Heaven's Armies.

We must hear God for ourselves by ourselves from time to time to completely understand the idea that God came to this Earth to save each solitary soul. He loves us individually and He wants to tell us that individually. I'm not suggesting here, Dear Reader, that we should all become silent monks who sit and contemplate life. I am suggesting, however, that there is great value in "alone time" and it is underrated more than it is respected.

In my personal experience, the most revelatory encounters with God have occurred while I was sitting alone at the feet of God in silence. I would even go so far as to say that if the Reader asked any spiritual leader when the most brilliant displays of God were experienced, he or she would most likely say that it was behind closed doors… alone with God. Jesus Christ, our Messiah, came to save each one of our souls. Since His ascension, we are His hands. He is the head and we are the hands. He desires to love and to use each one of us with our own personal strengths and talents. He longs to tell us and show us His love individually. He finds great value in us. We cannot receive all that is from God when we are caught up in the daily hustle and bustle while constantly surrounded by other people. I implore you extroverts our there to turn off your cell phone for a while… sit and soak in God's love on a regular basis. And you introverts need not feel sorrow or guilt for spending time alone occasionally because that's where God can have you all to Himself. For our God is a jealous God! (Exodus 20:5)

One of life's greatest battles takes place in our minds. With an improper foundational conception of God we can miss out on some of the power God offers to us. In The Knowledge of the Holy, A.W. Tozer put it this way, "A right conception about God is basic not only to systematic theology but to practical Christian living as well. It is to worship what the foundation is to the temple; where it is inadequate or out of plumb the whole structure must sooner or later collapse. I believe there is scarcely an error in doctrine or a failure in applying Christian ethics that cannot be traced finally to imperfect and ignoble thoughts about God." The most important foundational beliefs of God are formed when we hear and read about God for ourselves. This generation leans to heavily on other "professional ministers." The foundational belief structure must be built on an individual basis and we must spend time alone to figure that out.

We must learn from the Holy Spirit. When Jesus was preparing his disciples for his death, he reassured them that the Spirit of God was going to take his place: "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid" (John 14:26-27). Did you get that… The Spirit will teach us ALL things. If we aren't being attentive to what the Holy Spirit is teaching us, we can miss it. Being attentive often looks like complete solitude at the feet of God.

So, Reader, if you like to spend time alone, spend it in moderation and always with God. Be encouraged, introversion is not always bad. On the other hand, if you love being around people all the time, take some time away at least once a week to feel God's jealous love for you… and don't discourage the introverts of the world unless they are misusing it. 

The Fruit of the Fire

            "… for our 'God is a consuming fire'."

           

-Hebrews 12:29, Deuteronomy 4:24

            Will I allow myself to be consumed by the Fire? Will I take a step into the "brightest kind of flame" and become engulfed? Will I decide to live in the Fire? Hold on… living in a fire? That would be painful… awful!… that would be like… well, like death!

            One does not have to hang out with church-going folks for long before he hears the classic Christian cliché: I'm just on fire for God! What does that even mean? No, I want to say sometimes, You're not on fire… I'm looking at you right now and you are clearly not singed or anything. I mean, what does it mean to truly be "on fire for God?" Why do people say that? Does that mean that there are Christians who are extinguished, then? Are there two kinds of "saved" people…? … people who are kind of saved… they've sorta been cleansed and halfway refined?

            When I'm not thinking facetiously I understand what they're getting at, but it makes me wonder why people say that and what, then, is the fruit of the Fire? That is, what changes?

All throughout the Bible God is described and illustrated as fire. There is a fascinating correlation between the two mysteries. To start at the beginning, Abraham's covenant with God was initiated by a "smoking firepot with a blazing torch" (Genesis 25:17). Moses had an amazing encounter with an angel of the Lord personified as a "fire within a bush" (Exodus 3:2). The book of Leviticus records God's command of Moses to offer burnt sacrifices and requires that the "fire on the alter must be kept burning; it must not go out" (6:12). Elijah was taken into heaven by a chariot and horses made of fire (2 Kings 1:11). The prophet in the book of Isaiah wrote of God's "burning anger" and described his tongue as a "consuming fire" (30:27). The Lord described himself to the prophet Jeremiah likewise: "Is not my word like fire?" (23:29). Daniel had a revelation in which he had a vision of an angel of the Lord and described him as having a face "like lightning" and "eyes like flaming torches" (Daniel 10:4-6). There are several more depictions of God as fire in the Old Testament alone, but I think you get the point. God is fire… not only like fire… He is fire. It is mentioned enough to make it undeniable… unforgettable. We can't read the Bible without constantly being reminded, from start to finish, that God is a consuming fire. Therefore, we must investigate why God would liken himself as such.

             See, I have come to find that being a Christian requires that we are metaphorically "on fire." Telling someone I'm on fire for God is as if I walked up to someone and told them that I'm alive because of life… I'm so alive for life! It's stating the obvious. The fundamental difference between someone who is a disciple of Jesus and someone who isn't is that we've allowed ourselves to be burned up according to the scriptures above; we're swallowed up by the Fire of God in order that we may be refined and used by Him. Therefore, all believers are "on fire for God."

            So, the question is not Am I on fire for God? Instead it becomes What is being produced through this Fire? See, Reader, the difference that happens when we truly live for God (or should I say die for God?) is that we are changed from the inside out by His flaming power. It sounds frightening. It sounds painful. Yes, but see Reader, we must be willing to accept Christ's judgment and allow His purifying torch to bring light to the darkness and refine our sin-scathed bodies. Paul wrote to the people in Corinth: "If any man builds on this foundation [he's speaking of the foundation of belief] using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work" (1 Corinthians 3:12-13). Before that, John the Baptist spoke to the Pharisees and Sadducees when he said, "every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire." He went on to say, "'I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire" (Matthew 3:7-12). His prophecy later came into fruition: "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them" (Acts 2:1-4). There is great power in  the Fire of God.

            So, which is it, Reader… Are you sitting by the fire? Are you allowing yourself to get a little singed? Or are you being completely consumed by the Fire?

            For those of you who are consumed by God's Fire, I have some thoughts:

            -What is your fire producing?

            -What is it burning away?

            -What is it illuminating?

For because of His love, we are able to love. We can burn because He burns for us. 

God's Gifts

            Dear Reader, the closer I come to understanding God's love for me the more I realize that everything I have is a gift from Him. There is not one good thing in this life that I have "achieved" or bought through my own toiling. All that I have that is good, whether it be tangible or of another realm, is from God. The only thing I've accomplished through my own work is fear, emptiness, sin, and confusion…  those things are not "things" at all… they are the lack of Something. Fear is the lack of faith. Sin and emptiness is the lack of God. Confusion is the lack of vision. See, God gives us all that has substance. God is our Sustainer and our Provider. Sometimes in defeat we say with our shoulders shrugged and our eyebrows peaked, "He gives and takes away…" (Job 1:21). But, I think differently… I think God only gives. If something is "taken" from us, it is only because it has been replaced by what God gives us. Sin can't really be taken away because it is nothing… sin is the lack of God. That is why sin is described as darkness; darkness is nothingness; it is the lack of light. When He enters into our lives, He gives us substance. He gives us light. He gives us all we need.

           

Remember, God gave his one and only son.

           

I think sometimes as Believers we forget about what God has given us. We walk around confused and ashamed. We carry our fear as if we don't have the living God inside of us whose perfect love casts out all fear (1 John 4:18). I have recently been intrigued with the idea that God has given and will continue to give us everything that we need to face any struggle. I don't know about you, Reader, but I don't walk in that everyday. I want this entry to be a reminder to you and to me that God did not give us anything that is bad… On the contrary, He gave us all things that are good. His precious blood was spilt on the cross so that we could inherit the glory of God.

           

Check this out:

           

"For the Lord God is our sun and our shield.

                        He gives us grace and glory.

The Lord will withhold no good thing

                        from those who do what is right.

O Lord of Heaven's Armies,

                        what joy for those who trust in you."

                        -Psalm 84:11-12         

"So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him."

                        -Matthew 7:11

"And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself and having given them right standing, he gave them his glory."

                        - Romans 8: 3

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline."

                        - 2 Timothy 1:7

           

            The important part of all this is not the reading of these verses… the important part is walking in it. Reader, don't simply read these passages and continue in fear. God gave us everything that we need. I have several more verses written down that I could've listed in this entry, but I'm not going to. The Bible is full of information about the gifts that God has given and will continue to give us. As you read God's word and continue through your day, look for those good things that God gave you. Look for those gifts and promises that you are ignoring. We should never be afraid… we should never fall into parasitic sin. God gave us better things than that. He gave us the spirit of adoption (Rom. 8:15). His gifts are infinitely better than anything the world gives us. Walk in it!

            

With Ears To Hear

            Last fall I had the wonderful opportunity to attend a retreat for college-aged men and women from my church. I drove my clanking old Jeep up through the spiraled road to Winter Park, Colorado wherein some of the most beautiful pieces of scenery reside. The camp ground was the idyllic location for a weekend getaway. Aaron Stern, the pastor, and the rest of his staff felt compelled to make this weekend a special time designed for quietness. All of the sermons and teachings were written around one word: Solitude. The second day there began with an insightful teaching on what solitude looks like on a day to day basis and expressed the necessity of quietness before the Lord. At the end of the teaching, Aaron encouraged us to leave the chapel and to spend time alone in silence with God.

            I left the chapel and walked directly down the grassy hill and into my lodge. I sat on the edge of my bed and asked God to speak to me. After a few moments, I laid back into my bed. I didn't open my Bible. I didn't speak. I didn't move. I simply waited on God in solitude. I tried to make myself available to Him. It was my expectation to hear a strong, thunderous word of revelation. I waited to hear an answer to the many questions I had at the time. I expected maybe to see a vision or hear a small sentence by which I could live my life everyday. Instead, Reader, I heard Him in a very gentle, inaudible whisper say, I love you.

I love you.

With my eyes closed, I could not stop the smile from crawling across my face! Inexpressible joy came over me like bath water. The whisper was spoken with such empathetic tenderness. It came from the same context as a father who holds his crying baby: He hushes and bounces his child as if to say, I am here… you will be fine. I love you… I'll take care of you… you don't need to cry.

            You see, Dear Reader, God chose not to speak to me in anger or frustration despite my perpetual proclivity to sin and my furiously impatient questioning. He didn't choose to speak with big words or in a prophetic shout. I was searching for answers… He did not provide them. I was waiting to hear words of wisdom… He did not provide them. I wanted just a glimpse of my future or a tangible reference piece… He did not provide that either. Instead, in my quietest moment, God chose to remind me that He loves me. That was all I needed. He filled me with inexplicable love. See, that's the kind of God we serve. That is the essence of His greatness… In His love, we receive the answer to all of our questions. In a strange sort of way, I got what I was looking for. His boundless love holds all truth, assuredness, grace, and prophecy. Our lives begin and end with His love.

            I challenge you, Reader, to have a ears to hear God's love all around you. Listen for the kinds of words He uses. Watch for the kind of scenarios He dresses them with. Be attentive to the instruments he uses and the gloves He wears. I promise, when you choose to open yourself up to Him, He will undoubtedly be revealed. But be prepared… it might not sound like the words you want to hear; it might not look like the picture you wanted Him to paint. No matter, though… He knows best. Receive His body. Receive His love.

Renewal, Part II: Transformation

"Do not conform any longer to the patter of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. "

                        -Romans 12:1

Dear Reader, I cannot express to you in words how phenomenally enlightening God's transforming power is. Not long after we are seduced and wooed by the grace of God, we find ourselves in a new world. Our sky is no longer a painting that rests on an easel but is an infinite realm of space fit for clouds, stars, and planets… our one-dimensional landscape turns into miles and miles of oceans and hillsides that teem with life. Trying to explain what life is like before God is like explaining to an unborn child what music sounds like; the child wouldn't even know what words are, let alone what they mean or how they are put together in description. This drastic renewal comes not by anything we can do, but by what God does in us. All we can do is surrender in meekness to His power.

One of the big parts of our lives that changes in the believer's heart is in the area of our finances. Our money becomes His money. Tithe, the first ten percent of our income set aside for God's purpose, is often misconceived by believers and unbelievers alike. We often think of this practice as God taking ten percent of our income. However, the transformed believer who now sees money as an instrument, understands that it as God allowing us to have ninety percent! This necessitates stewardship. Financial stress is lifted off because it is not our money to begin with and we know that He will always provide for us. Our level of success is not defined by money. Our hope and joy does not rest in money. We work for the glory of God and He receives all of our proceeds. Why do we try to trust our own feeble minds to manage our money? Why do we get depressed at the thought of a recession? Because we think we're living in a make-believe dollhouse world where Monopoly money actually has value. We forget that the Kingdom of God is not of this world.

            Our social interactions are given purpose by the Holy Spirit as well. When the believer realizes that he is simply a glove that is filled by the hand of God, the words he chooses to speak to colleagues, family members, best friends, and everyone around him are carefully articulated. James said, "If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check" (James 3:2). James suggests here that our tongue controls our entire body. What we say and how we say it is more crucial than we tend to think. Those around us hear the words we say. It would behoove us to be mindful of what we say and to leave space where space is needed. Dear Reader, I am certain that you and I have both been in situations where we absentmindedly let our tongue spew what's on our minds. We must be more disciplined than that. Our words, and the attitude behind them, hold much weight! When we envision what the Holy Spirit would say in our stead, better words (and less of them, I might add) come out of us. With His help we enter into pure conversations and exit from ones full of gossip, slander, and lust. With His help we speak up when we need to confront. With His help we speak with sincerity and confidence. With His help we speak to others with respect, consideration and encouragement… We begin to treat others better than ourselves. Remember, when a Pharisee asked Jesus what the greatest commandment is he responded with, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" (Matt. 22:37-39) We should treat everyone around us with love… only love… because He first love us. This is a completely foreign task to the unbeliever.

            Our careers and jobs take on a new meaning as well. The stress of finding the best career path falls in the shadow of our greater purpose: to lead others to the saving grace and unending love of Jesus Christ. This recently became a reality to me. For almost a year now, I have made my living by playing the drums. It was only a few months into it when I realized that, like my job at the department store, playing drums was only the "means of transportation", if you will, to complete my real "job." Yeah, playing drums is what I do, but when the Holy Spirit conquered me, I understood that the importance and value in what I do comes from the interactions with the people in the audience and the other bands we might play with. The true mission comes to life when I deny myself and let God speak through me. Otherwise, I am simply playing parts… I am simply a chair with no legs… a garden with paper flowers.

            Perhaps the most important renewed definition we receive from God is that of sin. The transformed believer understands sin as the separation from God. That is the worst scenario he can conjure up! To be separated from God is to lose consciousness of the truest reality. The Holy Spirit teaches us to see sin as the common ground between all of humanity. We are all sinners. See, Reader, when we realize that sin is separation from God and that we have all sinned, we gain a clearer understanding of salvation. Our old sin life is not forgotten, but it is now held closer than ever before as it is provides the testimony of the saved. The forgetting is God's work, not ours. We must never forget the miry, putrid past from which God lovingly spared us. With this new definition of sin, we get to the point where we hate sin. We as believers come to loath anything that looks like it might lodge it's nose between the Lover and His beloved. Our salvation is what gives us life. With a misunderstanding of sin comes a misunderstanding of God's power and the unforgettable beauty of our salvation.

            I could write for days and days about all of the things that change when we encounter God, Reader, but I will leave it at these four areas. As I said, everything changes. Our very lives take on new meaning. God transforms the way that we think until "we have the mind of Christ." (1 Cor. 2:16)

            So, Dear Reader, let the power of God envelope you. Let Him captivate your thoughts. When He enters in, nothing can stand in the way and you will see the power of renewal and transformation. We spend hours and hours debating with one another about who God is… God's definition. Let us instead allow God to define us. Look no further for explanation because the Spirit wants to explain to you who you really are. I promise, when you begin to see who you are in Christ and see the world as He does, your life will radically change. No longer do we need to pace around on a stage with actors and memorized lines. This is not a play… God in all His power is the truest form of reality.