1 John 2:27
Christ gave you the Holy Spirit and He lives in you. You do not need anyone to teach you. The Holy Spirit is able to teach you all things. What He teaches you is truth and not a lie. Live by the help of Christ as the Holy Spirit has taught you.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
My mother recently donated her encyclopedias to the used book store. The staff there said that people do buy them. When I was growing up, we depended on encyclopedias for all sorts of answers. I remember spending hours in the college library doing research and getting information and wisdom from the books that covered the shelves there. Today, with the Internet, we have up-to-the-minute info… literally at our fingertips! And with the advent of smart phones, tablets, and more, this information goes with us wherever we go!
Does this mean we never need school and teachers… college, specialized training and continuing education courses? Should we just “drop out” of life and depend on these technological innovations for all of our knowledge? Absolutely not! And this passage is not telling you to never take a Bible study course or to drop out of your Sunday school class.
But here’s what it is saying…you have the Holy Spirit within you, and He will guide you to the answers. They may come through prayer and Bible study. They may come in an organized class… from a Godly friend… or even that still small Voice you hear in your head. But the Holy Spirit will be your starting point.
A couple of years ago, I was so exasperated one day by a situation with my grandmother. I left her house feeling incredibly helpless, and I wracked my brain to think of someone I could talk to about this. I pulled into the parking lot at Wal-Mart, and before I went inside to shop, I sat in the car and said, “LORD… I don’t know what to do.” Very clearly, I heard Him ask, “If someone came to YOU with these questions, what would you tell them?”
I sat and thought about what my own advice would be in this very same situation… and I realized that the Holy Spirit had just revealed my answer to me. In that very instance, I didn’t need to talk to anyone else… I just needed to listen to The One who was in my heart already. And often, this is the case. If we will only sit still long enough to hear His voice, He will give us the wisdom and truth that we need… and we can take it to the bank!
Whatever you need today… whatever answers you seek… start with the Holy Spirit. Spend some time in His presence and ask Him, “Where do I go from here?” Feel the Holy Spirit surrounding you with wisdom and truth… and trust His answers. You may ultimately have to consult another person – or even a book! But the perfect starting point is always in your heart. Have you heard from the Holy Spirit today?
©2012 Debbie Robus
No comments:
Post a Comment