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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion Monday, July 21, 2003 "Spiritual Post-Its" |
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Frontline Devotion for Monday, July 21, 2003 By Pastor Dave Sonnenberg
Text: John 14: 26
26But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
Early in the biblical witness, there is an incredibly bold statement- “God created humans in his own image.” That statement isn’t about the physical, it’s about the Spiritual. In the course of his ministry, Jesus taught, healed, showed compassion, preached, loved, included, dazzled, and sacrificed for us. He promised his followers that they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit- the power from God that would enable them to lead God-filled lives. We have that power, even if we distort it sometimes.
Last week, I was leading a Seniors Group in a bible study on the Holy Spirit. They certainly believed that God was a constant presence in their life, even if they had trouble understanding what that meant. As we dug into discussion, we turned to the text for today from John 14. I asked, “what does this verse say the Spirit does”?
Here is my interpretation of that verse- God sends spiritual post-its into our life to remind us about Jesus’ ways. You all know what a post-it is. It was an incredible invention. It’s a little tiny piece of paper with a little sticky edge on the back. You write your little reminder and you put it on the wall or on the mirror or in a book or almost anywhere. Before I was married, my apartment was loaded with post-its. My wife put an end to the literal post-its, but I have learned that God is constantly sending spiritual post-its into my life.
When I speak about a spiritual post-it, I am saying that God is trying to reveal himself to us wherever we go, so that we are reminded to do our best to live in God’s image. When we encounter difficulty with others, maybe the Spirit is nudging us to remember how Jesus dealt with difficult people. When we see someone hurting, instead of ignoring them, maybe the Spirit is nudging us to think of examples of how Jesus showed compassion. When we feel too high on ourselves, maybe the Spirit will nudge us and remind us of how Jesus says that greatness comes in serving others, not in having a powerful title or big salary.
Spiritual post-its. God’s Spirit will be very active again today (as is the case every day). Will you see it and will you be reminded of Jesus? I hope so. Let me know what happens or if you can help expand my perspective on “SPIRITUAL POST-ITS”.
Prayer- Lord God, you send your Spirit into this world and into our lives so that we are reminded of you. We are made in your image, but when we aren’t focused, we distort your presence in our lives. Remind us once more and teach us to live according to your ways. We thank you for the chance to be your 21st century representatives. Help us to see your Spiritual post-it’s wherever we go. Amen.
Note and a Suggestion- It may sound like a very basic thing, but sometimes the basics are what we ignore. As I suggested in my sermon yesterday, one of the most important thing we can do to strengthen our spiritual understanding is to read the Bible. It’s not an easy task, but in learning to read, we will pick up insights for daily living. It’s my belief that as we engage scripture on a regular basis, we are better equipped to see God’s Spirit at work. A version of the Bible that I have found very helpful is called THE MESSAGE by Eugene Peterson. Peterson translated the Bible into contemporary language, which makes it very readable. I have a copy in my office if anybody want to take a look.
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All are welcome to join and share in our Devotional Ministry. Pastor Dave welcomes and appreciates feedback. pastordave@goodshepherdonline.org.