I've never really ventured into the world of "the gifts" because growing up Southern Baptist it was a big no-no. Not to say that all SBC churches are that way, but I was afraid to admit that God was still using the gifts to this day and that some of those gifts might not make sense at first, especially if I've never read what Gods Word says about them.
So suffice to say, I'm reading about healing and in so doing I'm reading the story about this guy who is kinda coming from the same place that I am about God and the the gifts. In the middle of my reading I felt that God was leading me to the Vestry here at the church.
Now for those of you who attend St. Luke's and don't know where the Vestry is located, it's behind stage left in the main sanctuary. It's a great little room that doesn't get used often enough. In fact there's a nice comfortable chair in there, a private bathroom (my favorite part), a beautiful stained glass window (as you can see in the picture, and much more.
So I'm in the Vestry with my book, my "Grail Diary" (for those of you who know me, you'll know I carry around a little black book where I keep all my thoughts, questions, and stuff that involve my spiritual life and stuff God shares with me. I call this the "Grail Diary" referring to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. This is a different story for another time though). As I'm sitting there in the Vestry, reading my book, ready to make notes; I feel God saying to me, "Put it down and just be still." Then I look up and see the verse on the wall from Pslam 46:10...
"Be still and know that I am God." - Psalm 46:10
I close my eyes and just listen. There's a storm literally brewing outside. I hear the thunder clap, the rain pounding hard on the window, the wind blowing. My life is much like this storm most of the time. Thunder, rain, wind...the life of a servant of God struggling to be obedient. For a bit of time I just sat silently and listened. Then I opened my eyes to see the stained glass window for all its glory. Never before had I recognized what was there. It was a dove (the Holy Spirit), a heart (my heart), a hammer (the tool to forge), and a fire coming out of the heart (being forged in the furnace), and hearing the storm (the forging furnace).
"Oh God, what idols have kept my heart from being aligned with your Spirit?"
The Apostle Paul encourages us in Philippians 3:12 to "take hold of what has taken hold of us". I want to take hold of all the idols that keep me from being aligned with the Spirit of God. Fear, control, worry, anger, etc., I want to give those to God. I want my heart to be forged by His Spirit, set on fire. I've come to realize today that this isn't going to happen unless I'm prepared to be forged by the storms of life.
"Dear God,
Today I ask that you forge my heart with your hammer. Set my heart on fire by your Spirit. Be with me during the storms and help me understand that I don't always need to know why." Amen.
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