[Thursday's Devotional] - Tested by the Spirit

Today we are back with Paul. He has now finished his first long journey, and been selected with others to travel to Jerusalem to discuss the 'circumcision question' with the apostles and elders there. After the debate, agreement is reached and a letter written to be taken back to the gentile Christians in Antioch.

"Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, fro the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things." Acts 15:27-29 [NIV]

There must have been a fair degree of prayer and discernment for the authors of the letter to know that 'it seemed good to the Holy Spirit'. They also seem to have got their priorities right; the Holy Spirit coming before themselves in the discernment process.

If you are anything like me you approach decisions (and life) the other way round – does it seem good to me first, does it seem good to the Holy Spirit second; and usually forgetting the second part completely!

Jesus said these things about the Holy Spirit, "But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything." John 14:26; and, "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth," John 16:13

Aren't we missing out on a wonderful opportunity here? When there is a big decision to be made we might pray and ask God for guidance (we might not); but what about all the other, smaller decisions that we make. What about testing what we might watch or read or listen to, or where we might go?

Rather than just going with the flow, doing the same as everyone else, conforming to the world why not make our relationship with the indwelling Spirit of God more active rather than passive; who knows how much more effective we might be at revealing the presence of God to the world!

Today's prayer; Father, grow in me the desire to turn to you for guidance as the first thing that I do rather than the last. Make me more effective as a bearer of your light.

Amen

Mike Iredale

Read the Bible in a year:  Psalm 77:10-20, 1 Kings 11:14-12:24, Acts 15:22-41