Life Down Under

A few thoughts on prayer and the Holy Spirit

In the middle of my day, I still have the much-appreciated luxury of an hour and a half to two hours of un-interrupted time while Taylor takes a nap. I am already dreading the day when she grows out of naptime, but I will choose to be optimistic and believe that this day is still afar off. So today, I decided to work on some notes for some material that I need to teach soon, and in the midst of doing so, found myself struck by the following verse:

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the Spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the Spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. (1 Cor. 14:14-15, emphasis added).

This verse spells out something so clearly to me that I have known in my mind for years, but today held revelation in my spirit. It's not just my mind that prays; it is my spirit. So often we think of prayer as words; prayer as being conversation with God. So that in order to pray, I need to be consciously using words to communicate something to God. Which is true. But this verse describes something other than the limited communication that originates in the mind; something surpassing the restraint of weak human words, and hints at a reality so far beyond my own finite definitions and steryotypes of prayer. The reality of my human spirit communing with The Spirit who lives on the inside. This foundational truth of the Christian faith is stunning: the Spirit of the living, eternal, un-created God lives on the inside of me. And not only does He live inside of me, but because He lives on the inside of me, my spirit can relate with Him in a reality that surpasses words, and it is called prayer. I have recently (as in, the last 9 months or so) been fascinated with this subject of fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit. Of walking in the Spirit, living in the Spirit, and being led by the Spirit. Something that goes so far beyong, "What shirt do I wear today?", but actually talking with the Spirit throughout my day. Actually keeping my spirit alert, mindful of, aware of, tenderized to His presence. On the inside. Being deliberate to have an active, living, present-tense relationship with this One who dwells within me. Herein lies the power to win the raging war against the law of sin and death. Herein lies the power to embrace and walk in the fruit of the....what?.....the Spirit. In western Christianity, the "fruit of the Spirit" has become such a watered-down, sunday-school, cute little phrase, when in reality, it is describing the evidence of one who lives a life of present-tense fellowship with the Holy Spirit. I can promise you, this preaches a lot easier than it actually lives, but this is our inheritance as believers of Jesus Christ. This is the essence of the Christian faith. This is what Jesus died for, so that we could live in this reality. And that means that it is available for every single person on the earth who calls on the name of Jesus. Which means, why not me? I am on a quest to discover and to live in this reality; to carry my heart in such a way that my spirit prays; not just my mind. I'm not saying I do it perfectly. In fact, I fall short way more than I succeed. But my heart is hungry. For Him.

How 'bout yours?