A Close Companion That I Barely Know

Apart from basic tenets of Christianity, I think of myself as an open-minded Christian. I like hearing diverse viewpoints from within the Christian community, because I find that so much of the "infrastructure," for lack of a better term, within churches is based solely on social norms or pre-existing conventions. It seems beneficial to see how other Christians may see things differently.

However, because of that search for new perspectives, I sometimes miss out on perspectives that are more traditionalistic. I try to convince myself that I got enough "old school" evangelicalism while growing up, but the truth is that real Christian wisdom is real Christian wisdom, no matter whether it's categorized as "progressive" or "fundamentalistic" or whatever.

So, all of that was a preface for the collection of sermons I'm reading by Dr. A.W. Tozer. Dr. Tozer was a very direct preacher, as can be clearly seen from his sermons. He doesn't speak from some sort of nouveau vantage point; he's just a hard-hitting source of Biblical truth. He lived in the early- to mid-20th century, but his words really do resonate powerfully today. This collection of sermons is on the Holy Spirit, and Dr. Tozer makes a very compelling argument that the Church's neglect of the Holy Spirit (which in turn limits God's presence within the Church) is the greatest shortcoming of the modern-day church.

In the sermons, the first thing that hit me hard was what the Holy Spirit is not. Here's a quote:

"The Holy Spirit is not enthusiasm. Some people get enthusiasm and imagine it is the Holy Spirit. They become worked up over a song thinking it is Spirit-anointed worship. And they imagine that is the Spirit. Enthusiasm is not the Holy Spirit, because those same people go out and live just like the world. The Holy Spirit never enters a man and then lets him live like the world. You can be sure of that."

You know, when I get those warm & fuzzy feelings when something spiritually exciting happens, I mentally categorize that as the Holy Spirit moving. However, Tozer's quote points out that that's not the case, which makes sense. The Holy Spirit would not be a fleeting presence (as those warm & fuzzies are very temporary); why would the Holy Spirit be so fickle? Sure, those fun emotions might be used by God as encouragement, but it's not proof of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

(Sidebar: Let's not get confused about the Holy Spirit vs. Salvation. Being a Believer does not equate with the Holy Spirit filling your body; after all, the apostles' belief happened clearly before the coming down of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.)

So, to sum it all up, I was thinking that one thing was "the Holy Spirit," when actually something (someone) else is "the Holy Spirit"...a being with real sustenance and real power...so much power that I must release control, and I'm talking really release control, not simply use God as an advisor in my own decision-making. Tozer's latter sermons really hit on that point. And, I'll be honest; that's a scary prospect.

I really don't want to not be in control; I don't even know if I know how not to be in control. And, I certainly don't mean to presume, but a lot of y'all that read my blog are fairly put-together folks as well. I would guess that many of you don't know how not to be in control either.

How much of your life was orchestrated because of things you came up with on your own (even if you feel that God wouldn't necessarily object)? How much of mine? Too much.

And I wonder why it's sometimes hard to feel God's presence.