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A Glory Seed Devotional
The Holy Spirit and the Reality of God…
If you can’t find God in your heart the God you find in the scriptures will not be the God you really need. However, with faith anchored firmly in your heart, might, mind, and strength not only will the scriptures come alive with God but also your entire world.
Larry Shallenberger in his book Divine Intentions writes, “The truth is that when I feel most spiritually disjointed, it’s usually because I’m attempting a personal relationship with the message and not its author.” (page 6)**
Remember the movie starring Jimmy Stewart titled “Harvey”? It’s the fictional story of Elwood P. Dowd a middle-aged, good-natured and somewhat eccentric individual whose best friend is an invisible 6' 3.5" tall rabbit named Harvey. As described by Dowd, Harvey is a “pooka” a benign but mischievous creature from Celtic mythology who is especially fond of social outcasts (like Elwood). To Elwood P. Dowd Harvey was just as real as the doctors who were trying to convince him the 6’ 3.5” tall rabbit was a figment of his imagination.
While the movie was fictional the presence of God in our lives through our relationship with the Holy Spirit is more real as we are. However the Holy Spirit is not “a benign but mischievous creature from Celtic mythology who is especially fond of social outcasts. “The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth…” (John 16:13, CEV)
Shallenberger goes on to write, “Having a relationship with the Holy Spirit is like being a temple, the locus of God’s love, presence, and attention. No longer must we go somewhere or do something to meet God. In the chambers of our thoughts, emotions, and personality— this is where God wants to hear our prayers, dreams, confessions, and worship.” (page 15)** For me the Holy Spirit is the reality of God first in my heart then in the world around me. In fact there are times when my conversation with the Holy Spirit becomes so intense if you were to see me you’d think I was talking to myself.
“I am saying this to you now, so that when the time comes, you will remember what I have said. I was with you at the first, and so I didn’t tell you these things. But now I am going back to the Father who sent me, and none of you asks me where I am going. You are very sad from hearing all of this. But I tell you that I am going to do what is best for you. That is why I am going away. The Holy Spirit cannot come to help you until I leave. But after I am gone, I will send the Spirit to you.” (John 16:4–7, CEV)
Believe it! Experience it!
Grace and PEACE,
Gary
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“Turn to the LORD! He can still be found. Call out to God! He is near.” (Isaiah 55:6, CEV)
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Scripture marked CEV are taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
**Shallenberger, Larry (2010-01-01). Divine Intention: How God's Work in the Early Church Empowers Us Today. David C Cook. Kindle Edition.