A Fresh Touch

Yesterday's encounter with God cannot sustain us for today. We are constantly and consistently in need of a fresh touch. 

I feel like I could end this post there - those two sentences basically say all that I want to say in this post. And if you've experienced this, you know it to be true. We can't live our lives focused on what has happened and what we once experienced that one time - whether it be yesterday or two years ago. Sure, those experiences matter. They matter a lot. They sustain us for the moment and help propel us forward. But they can't be all.

Forward. That's just it. Those times aren't meant for us to enjoy the moment and then do nothing; Yes, granted, there are some times when you just need to sit in the presence of God, but even in those times, there is change occurring whether you realize it or not. When you spend time with someone, you begin to become more like them. So, in this case, it's a transformation into Christlikeness.

Let's look at Acts 4:31. "After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly."

A lot of people when they go to Acts to talk about the Holy Spirit, they turn to Acts 2 for the story of the day of Pentecost. But I can't help to keep reading the story of the early church past that. And when you keep reading, you realize that God keeps pouring Himself out on the believers and filling them with the Holy Spirit. It's not just a one time thing for those there in the upper room on the day of Pentecost. No, the believers pray, and God shows up in power.

Something else to note is that after they are filled, there is action that is carried out by them. They move forward in the ministry and proclaim boldly the name of Jesus. 

As we go about our lives, our situations change: We undergo new experiences, we meet new people, and we experience different emotions. They're often referred to as the ups and downs of life. There's only one thing that's constant in the midst of everything, and that is God Himself.

Why wouldn't we want to experience more of Him?

There's a song that has the lyrics, "You're never gonna leave me dry, no, You don't, no, You don't, no, You don't / You're always willing, my cup you'll be filling..." A lot of people like to compare the outpouring of the goodness and the love and the joy of the Lord to the filling of and overflow of a cup. I think that this is a helpful image in itself for what our minds are able to grasp, but even an overflowing cup has its limits. God doesn't. There is no end and no beginning and no restraint to the outpouring of His Spirit.

God is willing and able to not only give gifts to His kids but also to release His Spirit in a fresh, new way. 


Megan