We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived—
these things God has prepared for those who love him”—
I read it again.
And sure enough, I see something new there,
something I hadn’t seen before,
something that catches me off guard.
The passage we’ve just read is a prime example:
“The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God…”
“We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God…”
And here all this time, I thought the Spirit was the quieter
member of this Trinity Godhead,
The Comforter,
The Consoler,
The Advocate.
Yes…but…this passage seems to imply that there might be a few other monikers that would fit Person #3:
The Infiltrator
The Instigator
The Explainer
The Translator
The same Spirit who searches the deep things of God
is the One who indwells us,
guiding us into understanding,
understanding some of those very deep things that
the Spirit has been searching out in the Mind of God Almighty.
Okay, brain freeze here.
If this is true, then how come we’ve still got so many ‘discussions’
going on the larger church,
so many points of serious disagreement about scripture,
history, gender roles, science…
you name it, we’ve got heated talk going on about it.
Well, for one thing, we’re a messy lot out here in Christendom.
Our antennae are notoriously faulty.
We pay more attention to that loudmouth person over there – the one we really, really do not like,
(or the one we secretly idolize),
than we do to the still, small voice.
And maybe it’s got something to do with this line from Paul’s letter to Corinth:
“…no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.”
It is so easy for us to lose sight of this truth.
We think we’ve got the inside scoop on the mind of God,
that we’ve got a corner on ‘the whole truth.’
When maybe what’s called for is a tiny piece of humility.
A recognition that there are lots and LOTS of things we don’t know and never will.
That “no human mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.”
And here is a good and true thing about this time of the year:
Lent is exactly the right time for growing in humility.
Lent is exactly the right time for continuing conversion.
Lent is exactly the right time for lifting our hands to heaven and crying,
“Be God, God. By your Spirit at work in the church, teach us to listen to you and to one another. Teach us to walk humbly with you. And to walk humbly with each other, too.”
_______
Holy Spirit, I thank you that you refuse to be put into a box of our design. You are free, you are powerful, you are loving, and you are convicting. Help us to tune up our antennae this Lenten season. Help us to tune in to YOU.
Click here for day one of this series and an explanation of what it’s all about.
I love the idea of the Holy Spirit as translator. I first had this thought when I read Ann Patchett’s “Bel Canto,” with the character of Gen, the translator. At one point in the story, Carmen (the tiny terrorist), stands next to him to pray, so her prayers will be heard.
I read that book – but completely forgot about that interaction. Thank you for thinking of it here. And thank you for your faithful visits and comments – helps me to stick with this discipline somehow to know you’re out there reading what I write. (And I’m reading what you write, too, friend. Yes indeed, I am.)
I love this thought of the Holy Spirit as an Infiltrator. I welcome Him.
Fondly,
Glenda
I usually think of an instigator as someone who causes trouble. I guess He kind of does when He comes in and messes with what I think I already know. And gets me into what seems like trouble when He stirs me up to do those things I could never imagine myself doing.
I do, too, Glenda. MOST of the time. Sometimes I feel pushed into things that scare me and I’m not always so thrilled then. AFTERwards, yes, often – but in process…not so much.
EXACTLY. Trouble-maker supreme – in terms of messing with our comfortable status quo and calling us into difficult places. Uh-huh. Holy Instigator. I kinda like the ring of that.