Sidelined?
“A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit him. It was a chilly evening. The pastor found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for his pastor’s visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited. The pastor made himself at home but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs. After some minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone. Then he sat back in his chair, still silent. The host watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the one lone ember’s flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and “dead as a doornail.” Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting. The Pastor glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave, he slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow, once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it. Without a word having been spoken about the man’s absence from church, the message is clear. As the pastor prepares to leave, the host says, “I will be back in church next Sunday,” having understood the powerful, silent “sermon” about the need for community.”
Php. 2:1 adds a third “litmus test” for those who claim to be followers, and disciples of Jesus: “…if any fellowship with the Spirit…” Some translations say, “…if any participation in the Spirit…” Paul’s statement should cause you to ask some serious questions: Do you have any participation with the Holy Spirit? Do you have communion with Him? Do you have any fellowship with the Holy Spirit? When Paul wrote these words to the Philippians they knew what he was referring to. What has happened to westernized Christianity in which we cannot recognize Who He is or what He does? For example, many of us have either known someone who has had dementia, or alzheimers, or have personally experienced a love one suffering from it. As you or anyone can testify, the most heartbreaking thing that can happen is when that loved one no longer knows, recognizes, or remembers you. You can talk with them. But there is no warmth of sharing; no recognition; no connection between the two of you. Unfortunately, this is how it is for the Holy Spirit in many of our lives. It’s as if many church attenders are suffering from spiritual dementia or alzheimer’s. For many in it’s as if they have suffered from this disease all their spiritual lives.
What difference does having spiritual dementia or alzheimer’s make? Without a connection to the Spirit you will be sidelined to never really knowing or recognizing Jesus. A sidelined life will have you hearing the words of Scripture, or the message of a preacher, or the testimony of a Christian’s encounter with Jesus, or the Word – and not understand what they are talking about. Like the separated coal in the fireplace of the above illustration you will never glow with the fire and warmth of a conscious awareness of interaction with the Spirit.
With all of that said, Do you know Him? Do you have any participation with the Him? Do you have communion with Him? Do you have any fellowship with the Spirit? Could you recognize His activity in your daily life? My interaction with Him this morning inspired me to write this blog. If this blog inspires you recognize the inspiration as an invitation to come close to His fire – to His Presence. Recognize the “day of your visitation.” As young Samuel in the Tabernacle stated, “Speak Lord Your servant is listening.” (for more information on recognizing the Spirit’s activity in your life read John 13-16; Rom. 3:10-12 – and make a list of all the specific activities of the Spirit)
