I wanted to share a little glimpse into my personal experience this morning in a church Sue and I have been investigating that so moved both of us.
When we fast, the Holy Spirit will and should be tenderizing our hearts and soul to be more perceptive. Sometimes it takes longer to come into the place and at other times we seem to easily and quickly move into a deeper spiritual perspective.
This morning, I was in worship at a local church and was aware that God had planned something special even before the worship started. When I sense this plan of God I “Lean In” to experience all that God has in store. Within minutes, I found myself weeping as I realized God’s love and graciousness. What was interesting is the awareness that it took two to make this happen.
First, like so many of you, we fasted to draw closer to God. After a week I was so ready for God to pour out his grace I could taste it. Second, the worship leader and worship team had done the heavy lifting themselves and prepared an intimate banquet for all those who were prepared to love God.
This brings me to the scripture I want to share and give perspective on;
Luke 4:22-26. “Who Is Ready for God?”
And all were speaking well of Him, and wondering at the gracious words which were falling from His lips; and they were saying, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”
[23] And He said to them, “No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we heard was done at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’”
[24] And He said, “Truly I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown.
“But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land;
[26] and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.
It is so easy to be swayed by our own logic and reason. We read God’s word and want to believe but then we “Think” without Holy Spirit guidance, coming up with “Great Doubt” about what God can or will do.
Jesus uses the illustration of Elijah and a Gentile widow who was about to die and was then given a hidden key to God’s favor and blessing. Trials and difficulties either will soften our hearts or make them harder. The key is looking beyond your reason to “Truth” about God being gracious and kind.
You and I will be tested on many fronts but the character of God is one truth on which God hinges so much; whether he is able to bless us or not. We only discover what we believe about God when we are tested with experiences that fly in the face of Biblical truth.
My prayer today is for us all to embrace the truth that God is who He says He is. He is gracious, compassionate and slow to anger abounding in loving kindness.
May our heart be filled with the Holy Spirit today so we can accept this truth.
Pastor Dale
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