Have you ever been poked by the Spirit? I can only imagine that it is like the pokes and kicks that an expectant mother feels from the new life growing insider her. We try to disregard, to shrug off that feeling. We might often dismiss that stirring of the Spirit by assuming that God is just too busy worrying about the universe to be giving this insignificant mortal the time of day. Yet we know that to be so untrue. The Spirit is so very in sync with our every breath and heartbeat. The closer our walk with Thee, the more we are urged, prompted, including an uneasy feeling.

It might surprise us when we feel the Spirit steering us away from things that might seem fun yet would ultimately frustrate and waste our time. There are some astonishing stories that bear this out: when a couple thinks they’re due for a date night, even though each one silently wishes the other would beg off the idea; when even a well-intended venture turns into a frustrating, time-wasting nightmare. Yes, it’s okay to experiment with this a little; to trust the little “shove” inside us (the pregnancy metaphor again). God’s voice is never the one tempting us into something sleazy, impure and hurting another. That is Satan’s voice of trickery. If it blatantly goes against the Bible? Prrrrrobably not God’s voice! Trust the inner voice, that innate “Jiminy Cricket” conscience that is embedded in us. Who knows? Our time might be saved from an ill-advised, trivial pursuit. Delays and power outages (“what?!? No cell service?)” can be glorious, holy moments of opportunity to feel the Spirit stirring us. We will experience anew and afresh the unconditional love that The Father lavishes upon us, that the Spirit fill us with, and that the Son befriends us with.

Pastor Art Previously posted February 2019