Be a gateway to God’s thoughts, emotions, and His love
Ephesians 4:11, Luke 11:50-51, Acts 11: 27
It was bitter, bitter cold this Christmas shopping day in Alaska. My daughter and I reluctantly left the enveloping warmth of the most recent store laden with our purchases, racing as fast as we dared on the icy parking lot on the race to the car, and the promise of the lunch we had been talking about.
As we drove up to the Taco Bell around the corner, the festive holiday decorations beckoned us as we anticipated our bellies soon to be filled with warm and tasty burritos and anything else that suited our fancy. As we made our way to the door, we noticed two middle aged men begging for money. I reached into my pocket, where the change from the last store transaction had been shoved. Looking down at the fist of dollar bills I pulled out, my daughter whispered, “isn’t there more you can give them mom?” The icy fog of her exhaled words hung in the air.
As we came upon the men, I turned to them, lowering the scarf to show my smile, as i asked if they would like to join us for lunch. They were shocked, my daughter was shocked… and to be honest, I was caught off guard a bit myself! That’s the Holy Spirit for you!
The restaurant was packed, and many that had hurried by these two men with their heads down, either too distracted, or simply reluctant to make eye contact, watched as we got in line to place our orders. As the men ordered their meals I doubled their order, as I was unsure as to when their next hot meal would be.
As we found an open table for four and seated ourselves, I told the men that it is our tradition to thank God for our provision before we ate, and joining hands, we prayed and then all of us gratefully dug into the food before us. You would think it would be awkward, sharing a meal with 2 strange men, that obviously led less stable lives than my daughter and I did. But the words flowed, and even a laugh erupted as we shared flashes of ourselves with each other.
As I bit into my double decker taco, the Holy Spirit downloaded a thought about the daughter of one of the men. I had a sense she was feeling alone, and in need of her father’s love. “Ken, do you, by chance, have a young daughter with brown eyes, and brown hair?” I asked. His eyes widening, “Yes, but I haven’t seen her since my wife left me several years ago.” “Ken, the Lord just told me that she needs her dad. She needs YOUR love and support right now. Where does she live?” “The last I heard she lives right here in the city with some friends.” “I believe the Lord wants you to see her today… will you do that?” Tears welled in his eyes as he looked down and nodded yes.” “Don’t worry, Ken…she is not going to reject you.”
After praying with him about his relationship with his daughter, we said our goodbyes, and headed out to the frigid cold to continue our day of shopping. Leaving the restaurant a young father tugged at my coat and said, “Thank you for showing my family what the true love of Christmas is really about”. You see, his family had been one of those watching the divine encounter, and in the middle of this fast-food restaurant they witnessed the very nature of God.
I could have simply given these two men a couple of bucks – you know, a little brotherly love and called it good. But this would not come close to the fullness of God’s nature. I first needed to provide a space, a gateway, for the Holy Spirit to speak and show His power. Once that was in place, the spiritual gifts He placed inside of me were stirred up to make this encounter a divine event that tapped into the heart of God.
As I type this, I am impressed as well of another lesson in this encounter. It should not be the threat of bitter cold to attune our hearts to the lost. Just as the Lord will leave the 99 to find the one, we also need to be alert in the Spirit for those divine God encounters. And just like that dad needed to reunite with his little girl, our God NEEDS to reunite with each of us, His creation. He too is waiting for us to call to him. To run to him.
Are there risks? Always. Is it worth it to see God crash in and transform people’s lives forever? Certainly. Is it comfortable? Probably not. The Lord isn’t overly concerned about making us comfortable; it’s to advance His Kingdom and demonstrate His power.
Ministering in the spiritual gifts is one of the greatest tools of love we have. These power tools are available to all of us. Not just for when Christians gather, but wherever and whenever the Holy Spirit wants to speak to someone.
Consider the Journey
1. How comfortable are you in demonstrating the NATURE of God to others?
When God speaks, it’s an experience that gets our attention and our heart. To risk stepping into a place of uncertainty and experiencing the move of God in exchange, is always worth it.
2. How would you define the culture of God’s heart?
One of the hardest things I’ve had to work through is the understanding that God’s love is blind. It’s unconditional. This kind of love isn’t a natural attribute but needs to be cultivated in us.
3. Do you understand how the spiritual gifts flow through your life?
Check into the Power Gifts teaching section in the Kingdom Class series on this blog site to learn more about the methodology and revelation found in the prophetic gifts.
Has this blog stirred some thoughts in you? If so, share them with us in the comment section at the bottom of the page.