I had an ache inside my chest. It was hunger.
While my wife attended a class on, “How to Know When the Holy Spirit Is Speaking to You,” she suddenly left the hiking group when she heard the Spirit whisper, “Go home and check on Bob.” When she walked into the house, she watched me have a life-ending stroke. If she had not hungered for the Spirit more than the pleasure of her hiking in our beautiful Arizona morning, I wouldn’t be here today. I know, because several of my attending physicians have told me.
My wife taught me to pay attention when the Spirit of God moves in whispers and touches hearts. When I feel the ache that feels like a hunger, I go to the Word for manna from my Lord’s hand.
Several passages have helped me walk closer to Jesus—among them, the present one. I learned Jesus is several things to each child of God. Following are the lessons I learned.
- Abide in Jesus as our wisdom, for the Father made Him our wisdom. He is the revelation of all God is and has for His children. When I need wisdom, I go to Jesus.
- Abide in Jesus as our righteousness. If I want better character, I must yield to the Spirit of God to reproduce what is in Jesus. I can’t do it on my own.
- Abide in Jesus as our sanctification. We can experience His power to make us holy in spirit, soul, and body. We can’t become more holy without Jesus.
- Abide in Jesus as our redemption. We must live as people who are heirs of heaven’s eternal riches. We are rich kids born into wealth.
Our relationship with Jesus contains everything I need to live today and to live eternally when I graduate from life’s struggles. In heaven’s rent-free eternal retirement community, we’ll find a completeness that is presently only seen dimly.
Ask God to help you listen to His Spirit.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)
The Rev. Dr. Bob Segress served as a licensed psychological clinician for twenty-five years. Upon retiring, he served for fifteen years as a prison minister. Retiring again, he began writing full-time after a period of boredom. He has written: The Biblical Approach To Psychology while serving as a college educator, The Shelton Series, and, in 2012, Ten Years Inside Shelton Prison. Currently, he writes for several publications such as Halo Magazine.