Instead of spending time with the Holy Spirit the last few days, I’ve been reading historical accounts about other people who spent time with Him (trust me, this is a poor substitute). When I finally got quiet with the Holy Spirit, He asked, “If I was walking around the streets of Albuquerque, would you drop everything to run and find Me? The answer of course is “YES!” The thing is, He is here. He’s in Albuquerque, Dallas, Liverpool, Hong Kong, or wherever His children are. All we have to do is drop our other “stuff” and run after Him.
It’s good that I go away
Before Jesus left the earth He told the disciples, “It is to your advantage that I go away” (John 16:7).
I’m pretty sure none of the twelve guys following Jesus considered His departure advantageous. But soon enough they did understand. Instead of wandering the shores of Galilee trying to locate their Savior, they had instant access and sweet fellowship with the Holy Spirit whom Jesus sent in His place.
For if I do not go away, the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him (the Holy Spirit) to you [to be in close fellowship with you].
(John 16:17*)
If the Holy Spirit knocked on your front door, would you drop what you’re doing to let Him in? Sadly, our answer isn’t always yes. We let every kind of interruption, distraction, and activity fill our days, until there’s no “seeking” left in us. A.W. Tozer put this so poignantly when he said, “He waits to be wanted. Too bad that with many of us He waits so long, so very long, in vain.”
Almost isn’t the same as always
It’s easy to get caught up like I did in almost seeking Him. We can read books about people with spiritual passion, download songs about intimacy with God, or watch films about walking with Jesus; but unless we seek God Himself, we only flirt with His presence, we don’t abide in it.
1 Chronicles 16:11 says, “Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually [longing to be in His presence].” There’s a “stickiness” to this kind of seeking. We’re meant to stay stuck to His side, not almost seeking but always seeking.
Shadows and light
When we don’t seek God, problems pile up, stress mounts, and evil casts its dark shadow over everything we care about. So we try to pray away the darkness instead of just living in the light. My friends, this is not God’s way. If we make intimacy with Him our goal, darkness halts at our doorstep and our cares drop away as we rest in His love.
The Holy Spirit is right with you, right now. Seek Him. Stay stuck to Him. And let all the distressing things that surround you become shadows in the midst of His great and glorious light.
To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek him the greatest adventure; to find him, the greatest human achievement.
Augustine
*Amplified Bible Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved www.lockman.org
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