[picapp align=”center” wrap=”false” link=”term=power+lines&iid=5146947″ src=”2/5/f/f/High_voltage_electric_9a36.jpg?adImageId=12580546&imageId=5146947″ width=”355″ height=”360″ /]Modern Christianity has more or less limited itself to the ability to convince its adherents to voluntarily conform to a certain standard of acceptable behaviors.  This “self-betterment” is in essence no different from any number of psychological constructs designed specifically to lead an individual through partially self-directed change.  From my point of view there lacks a clear distinction between committing one’s life to serve others and quitting smoking.  Both activities are helpful, even healthful, yet may be accomplished by human means directed by human ingenuity.

The kind of life to which Jesus calls his disciples is far outside human capacity to perform.  Jesus knew this and promised to empower his followers by his own indwelling presence. 

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you.Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live.When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.” (John 14:16–20, NLT)

“And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” (Luke 24:49, NLT) 

It is a sad fact that much of my life bears few marks of the energizing movement of the Holy Spirit.  I have far too often chose personal comfort against participating in the mighty work of a Sovereign God.  I absolutely hate this.

God patiently allows me opportunity after opportunity to reflect his magnificence and not my own paltry attempts at being important.  Why His patience remains is truly a mystery, but here I am breathing my confession.

I do feel an internal and irrepressible urge to beg God to allow me to participate in things only He could accomplish.  The utterance of such a request gives me frightened chills for in my unworthiness I still ask.  I am Peter, one foot planted on the boat deck, one floating on the water, one firmly stuffed in my mouth.

The question is, “When God calls this time, will I say “Yes, Lord!” and go directly to Him?”