Thought for Today
Genesis 4:9 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" He said, "I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?"
Ecclesiastes 1:9 What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun.
Luke 12:40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour."
1 Thessalonians 5:4 But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief;
I received an email this morning from my ISP (Internet Service Provider) suggesting that were I to merely sign up for their new Premium service, not only would all my life-problems be solved, but that they would provide for me a brand new 5G smartphone, implicitly at no extra charge. They never explicitly stated it, but the suggestion seemed to be to me that doing so would solve every problem in my life. Were it only that simple!
Qoheleth was right. There is nothing new under the sun. At least in one sense. All of God’s children are constantly faced with the same basic questions. Do we choose to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? How do we answer Joshua’s challenge, “24:15 Now if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." “Who’re ya’ gonna call?” (movie Ghostbusters)
Since this is the week leading toward Pentecost, how does all of this fit in with our consideration of the Holy Spirit? How are we to decide when faced with life’s choices and challenges? My ISP seems to be suggesting that I should turn all my communication and entertainment needs and decisions over to them. As I read that email, it sounds like they are more than willing and able to take care of me. I know, however, that were I to do so, my monthly costs for communication and entertainment might change.
What is your source of information for making life’s decisions? Do you rely on social media? Are you a follower of some “influencer?” Maybe, instead, you watch the television news, relying on the network anchors to tell you everything you need to know. Most of us have heard the word ‘podcast.’ Greta and I were recently given a tutorial on how to access podcasts, should the need or desire ever arise. There are evidently podcasts dealing with every imaginable topic, contradicting the words of the prophet Qoheleth who surely had never heard of a podcast.
We live in very complex and rapidly changing environments. Progress in transportation, communication and technology have figuratively shrunk our world. Global economies are so intricately linked that problems in one nation echo throughout almost all national economies. For those of us “of an age,” technology not only continues to advance, the rate of change in technology is accelerating. How do any of us, irrespective of age, cope? Who are we going to call?
The answer is not “blowing in the wind,” (although I do love that song). The answer is in Pentecost. The answer is the promised Advocate, the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever.” In the second chapter of Acts, Luke records an example of the disciples accessing the power of the Holy Spirit. They are transformed from anxious, fearful followers of a crucified rabbi to forceful, courageous champions of the Son of God.
Can Christians today ‘pull off the same stunt?’ First and foremost, it’s not a stunt. It is merely accessing the promised resource provided by our Creator God. We need to always remember those words of Jesus, paying special attention to “to be with you forever.” Forever! It may not be fashionable today to access a 2020+ year old resource. The Bible never mentions 5G, AI or even Bluetooth. How can anything be reliable, trustworthy or even real without 5G? But, ‘forever’ means forever! Look at the world changing transformation of those disciples. Consider for a moment how the Holy Spirit increased believers from 11 to today’s globe-spanning Christendom.
Stay safe, listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit within you, trust God,
Pastor Ray