Daily devotions: Spirit Led - Zechariah 4:6

Zechariah 4:6             So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.”

Sometimes I get discouraged by what’s happening with the Church in our society. We seem to have this casual approach to God that is now turning into a disdain for God’s Word. People come and go to their churches as they please to the extent that Christian worship has now become a leisure pursuit instead of a regular spiritual commitment. There’s no longer a thirsting for the scriptures or a hunger for what God is saying to us. We can pick and choose what we like from the Bible and discard what we disapprove. Instead of being kept sacred and regarded as holy, we treat God’s Word as if it has a sell by date and throw it away because it is irrelevant to our personal needs.

And then just when I’m feeling sorry for myself and the Church, I receive an email from a church member whose family is on a teaching mission trip to Christians in Nepal. Here’s what one of them has written:

Monday (1st day of the conference) was busy and wonderful. I don’t think anyone counted actual numbers in attendance, but the room was pretty full. Many who were coming were delayed—one broken-down bus accounted for 15 late-comers. They arrived last night or early this morning. The church is simple and rustic—that is code for primitive and with holes in the floor for toilets. Participants sit on a carpeted floor all day. The worship team is young and loud and enthusiastic. We can tell when they sing an “old timey song” because the older Christians join in and begin to raise their hands. The young women and men each have their own dances they choreograph and perform during breaks. They would be a hit in the US…lots of the same movements.

We have 3 morning sessions and 3 afternoon sessions. Tom and John take turns in the 1st two sessions each half of the day…then the men and women break into separate groups, and I take the women, and John or Tom take the men. People wander in and out all during the sessions. Some have responsibilities with the children or cooking or cleaning up, so they come when they can. The pastors and leaders attending the conference are very quiet while a speaker is talking, and they take notes faithfully on what is being said.

People hungering for the Word of God! We may think that our sophisticated laid-back relationship with God is what He expects of a 21^st century church, but we are sadly deluding ourselves. God expects of us what He obviously receives from the Christians in Nepal: total commitment.

I look forward to a day when the Western Church will rediscover Christ and humbly serve Him completely. I yearn for a time when all churches across our land will gather together, not because they are powerful or mighty, relevant and fashionable, but because they are filled with Spirit-led people and not just spiritual ones.

Question for personal reflection

How committed am I to Christ? Am I truly Spirit-led or just spiritual?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, help us to rediscover a hunger for Your holy teachings and a thirst for Christian theology. Prevent us from being too focused on ourselves and keep us totally committed to worshiping, serving, and following You throughout our lives. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Advent drawings called “Mackintosh Advent.” It’s an art nouveau rendering of Advent candles in a church window. If you would like to view a larger version, click on the following link: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8469/8118931383_48d8bc70a9_b.jpg

Drive By Devotions

Seeking guidance from the Spirit of God can affect the outcome of our plans and goals. Sometimes we have daft notions that go nowhere because we don't put God first.

Podcast version here

Zechariah 4:6 So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty.

I love this verse. It reminds me that when I’ve used up all of my own strength, energy, and patience, I need to come to the Lord for renewal. Far too often, I try to do things my way and end up becoming frustrated when I cannot produce the results that I want. Instead of submitting to the Lord and giving myself over to be influenced by the Spirit, I wish that the Lord would do what I desire.

For example, many years ago when I was pastor in Dunure, Scotland, I dreamed up the idea of opening the church at 7.00am on a Monday morning, so that commuters could stop and pray before they went to work. The church was on the main road and scores of drivers passed by at that time in the morning.

I envisioned that many drivers would stop and take time to be in the Lord’s House. I got to the church real early, put the lights on and had a tape playing devotional hymns and choruses quietly in the background. I sat in one of the choir seats, read my Bible and prayed for the church. It was quiet and peaceful, and every now and then, I would hear a car passing by.

I think that I did this for about four months. In all of that time, only two people stopped by. Nobody really wanted to take or make the time to be there. I guess they could say their prayers from the comfort of their own cars as the drove by the church. I wanted it to be successful, but God was teaching me a lesson. No matter how hard I wanted it to happen, without His Spirit, it would never work. Instead of relying upon God’s Spirit, I was trying to make God support my ministry. It made me realize that it wasn’t my ministry at all. It belonged to God – what I had to do was to discover where His Spirit was leading.

I still have some daft notions at times, but I usually petition the Spirit first for direction. This ministry belongs to God – I am merely a servant of His Kingdom. The power and the glory, success and honor all belong to God. My role is to submit to the Spirit and seek God’s will.

Perhaps like me, you’re wrestling with God and want Him to make something successful for You. There’s no harm in asking, but ascertain whether it is something for Your sake or the Spirit’s. Knowing that will make all the difference in the world as to whether or not it will be accomplished. As the old preacher once said, “Sometimes we have to let go, in order to let God.”

Prayer: Holy Spirit, we all want to make a difference in the world and do something special with our lives. Grant us patience and endurance, discernment and understanding of what You want us to do with our lives. Open our heart and minds, souls and spirits to Your holy bidding. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.