The Holy Spirit Moves Still & Moves Us
We are all immersed in the Holy Spirit, even so, we pray, Come Holy Spirit, Come!
It’s Moses, cleft in the rock having begged to see the glory/shekinah of YHWH.
It’s Isaiah seeing YHWH seated on a throne, high and lifted up.
It’s Job speaking with the Creator.
It’s Jacob receiving the revelation of GOD’s Name and having wrestled with him.
It’s the blind one being healed.
It’s Paul on the road to Damascus.
It’s John on Patmos transformed by a wild revelation.
It’s Me having received the gift of tears, the gift of oil.
It’s You, too, though you may not see it or hear it yet.
Yes, the Holy Spirit moves still and moves us.
We should be proclaimers of this. It is part of our gospeling message, for it is by the Spirit we are transformed!
The red flag, for me and should be for you, too — is manipulation: I do not want to be manipulated in to feeling the Holy Spirit. Quite simply because, I don’t need to be manipulated — He is entirely tangible and capable of being revealed how, when, and where He so desires. Likewise, the red flag of disbelief flies in the wind of narrow-mindedness, fear, and control.
Is it wrong, then, to pray for His Spirit, or more of His Spirit?
I think the answer is a resounding No. But trying to intentionally work up a fervor, a spirit, in the hopes that every other Other will feel something miraculous is misguided and distorted.
Instead, let us pray that we may awaken to the Spirit which now fills our lungs as well as this room. Instead, let us pray for the Holy Spirit to fall like rain and flood the streets of our City as we become a flash mob of justice and mercy, yes, of love! Instead, let us pray that the Shekinah Glory would be most fully revealed — that we may be consumed by the Fire Light of GOD, so that we can once and for all be the Shining Light on The Hill!
The Spirit is, no doubt, sensational! But does this give us license to appeal to the emotions of a Community?
The Spirit is tangible; a real force in the world around us and within us. Now, I would caution us to examine our hearts: are we praying for the presence of the Spirit because we wish to turn the tide on what appears to be a quiet, non-sensational meeting? Or do we pray for the presence of the Spirit because without it, we know everything is suspended, hanging and waiting for the Word of GOD to animate it?
