Imagine . . .

You wake up, read your bible and pray, then set off for work.
On the train there are several people reading their bibles.
You notice as you work down the aisle a number of people
watching the latest church services and Christian music concerts
on their laptops. You sit with a group of people you have got to
know over the years. As per normal, each of you shares about
your day, what’s happening at home, etc. Then you pray out
loud for each other. At work you have the first meeting of the
week, a planning meeting. Before starting the meeting your
boss leads you all in prayer. At lunch time you pop over to
the local church with a number of colleagues for a lunchtime
worship service. That afternoon a colleague complains of a
headache, so as is the practice in such situations, you gather
a couple of people and lay hands on this person to pray for
their healing . . Hold on a minute! This is not my life!
Lets ask ourselves, is that the life we want? My first instinct
is to say yes! But would we say yes if we really knew what the
journey to that place looked like?
Maybe that journey starts with what we are really desiring
in our lives right now? Or maybe there are some things God
needs to work on in our lives?
"What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that
the spirit God has placed within us is filled with envy?"
James 4:5
"If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every
chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way.
5 And do you suppose God doesn’t care? The proverb has it
that “he’s a fiercely jealous lover.”6 And what he gives in love
is far better than anything else you’ll find. It’s common
knowledge that “God goes against the willful proud; God
gives grace to the willing humble.”7 So let God work his
will in you." The same passage from The Message

I read that passage and think, " I'm not an enemy of God".
Looking closer though, I think that first verse means if we
flirt with the world, ie, our desires head over toward money
or status or whatever, our actions can start to have the effect of
making us enemies of God (we may still be saved, His grace
still covers us, however, our actions have sometimes become
'enemy' actions). God longs to see the Holy Spirit 'come forth'
in us, the outward expression of what he is doing inside us!
So we have to let God work within us and that's related to our
desire, for which He is jealous. Letting God work His will within
us can sometimes be very difficult. We can sometimes be
deceived into thinking we can be in a neutral place when
God puts His finger on something inside thats going to be
difficult - if we try that our desires will begin to stray the
wrong way. God loves us so much, He only puts His finger
on something when He knows we are ready. Previous to this
His grace often covers things. Once we are ready and God has
everything in place He starts work. It may be hard, we may feel
pain as past hurts are uncovered, for example. We need to
remember at these times that His love is better than anything
else we might find! Once something inside us is transformed we
find new peace, joy and healing.
Often we see a new out working of His Holy Spirit as we are able
to minister to others in that same area to which God has
ministered to us! And because we know what it is like to be set
free we develop a passion to set others free!

Prayer

Dear Lord, give us a desire for you and you alone.
Help us to overcome stubbornness and fear so that
you can come deeper and transform those things
which are blocking our passion for you. Help us to
see that some of those things are a poor substitute
for your love working in every part of our lives. Set
us alight, make us desperate for more of you, so
that everything else seems as rubbish compared!
Extend that passion in us to see those around us
transformed, healed, set free, encouraged and filled
with the joy of knowing you more
Amen