There is a story in the Old Testament book of Genesis, where Jacob—one of the patriarchs of the faith—wrestles all night with an angel. Jacob is desperate to find an answer from God and does not let go of the angel until he blesses him.
I feel this describes my current situation involving this newfound path. I have so many questions with so few answers. I am determined to not let go of the angel (as it were) until I find them. This “seeking” is why I have not posted the page I mentioned a couple of posts ago.
The Apostle Paul speaks about the body of the Christ-follower being a temple of the Holy Spirit. He says that the Christ-follower is to honor God in and with that body. The idea is far deeper than any physical consideration of proper diet, exercise, and avoidance of sinful habits.
If I do not belong to myself, do I ignore the advice of self-help experts who tell me how to get ahead and realize my dream? Since God has purchased me with the price of the sacrifice of God the Son’s death, burial, and resurrection, am I to only do what he says? What am I to do with my thoughts, feelings, and emotions; am I to ignore them?
These complex questions need God-inspired answers. To begin with, Jesus told the Apostle Peter the type of death he would die but told the Apostle John something completely different. This is important to understand because it clearly indicates that the godhead, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, do not have a “one-size-fits-all” approach to humanity.
Even though the fundamentals are the same, salvation through Christ, building a close personal relationship with the godhead, and righteous living, the specifics differ with each individual.
The plan of redemption means humanity has the opportunity to, once again, take up a position of authority with the godhead. This authority was enjoyed in the beginning, until lost because of sin. The difference is the fact that sin has changed the world, and stepping back into such a position is different now than in the beginning. For example, Adam and Eve had no concept of sin. Today, humanity has no concept of righteousness. Adam and Eve physically walked and talked with God in perfect harmony. Today, humanity must perceive harmony through the filter of his or her own sin.
This is only a part of why my questions are so complex, but perhaps this will help. Here is what I know must take place on a daily basis. Daily, I must seek guidance from the Lord. I do this by reading from the Bible. I like the Old Testament book of Proverbs because it speaks about practical things in life.
Daily, I spend time talking with God. There are times I will direct my attention to God the Father. For example, I may say, “Papa, I believe you told me to do this. You said that you would confirm your word through two or three witnesses. I would very much appreciate seeing or hearing from them.”
There are times I direct my attention to God the Son. For example, I might say, “Jesus, the Bible tells me that you took an awful beating so that I could be healed. I really need to see or feel that healing in my body. I would really appreciate you showing me.”
Then, there are times that I direct my attention to God the Holy Spirit. For example, I will say, “Holy Spirit, I know that you confirm the lessons of the Bible. I am struggling with this, and need your guidance. Will you show me how to I am to live this life as a walking dead man?”
Sometimes a thought rolls across my mind—I acknowledge it from the Lord. Other times I may have a verse from the Bible come to my remembrance, while sometimes, I will have a sense of peace, or calmness. In each of these instances, I acknowledge them as from the Lord.
Then, there are the times—far too often for my liking—that I have absolutely nothing. I dislike them the worst, but also acknowledge the something is being worked out and in time, I will find out what it is. Last week, I heard a comment that fits what I am saying. It goes something like this: I have found that I always see God more clearly in the rearview mirror. In other words, once the problem is solved, then my lightning-quick brain, goes, “Oh, now I see God in that!”