On Coffins & the Spirit-Led Life

Like JesusJesus is the poster-child for the Spirit-led life. “Out of my league,” is my initial response. He’s God. I’m not. Ask my family. They will verify, in flowing narrative, the degree of my fallen nature.

As a child, I never had a hard time recognizing the divinity of Christ. His humanity, however, was harder to grasp. For me, His divinity overshadowed His humanity. It felt like He always got the “Pass GO and get $200” Monopoly card.

“How hard could life really be living on planet earth if you were God?”

Jesus did not get a “Pass GO and get $200” card—ever. His was a life of rejection, betrayal, missed meals, fatigue, fickle friends and torture. On top of that, the realities of a human body were also His: a sun burned face, sore feet, blistered hands, a pebble in his sandal, dust in his eyes, and about everything else we can imagine…hangnails, heartburn, headaches.

His divinity did not trump the “nit and grit” of life on earth, yet He lived for one thing.

For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of Him who sent me. John6:38

Can that desire be my desire? The driving force of my life? About ten years ago I read through the Gospels, blue highlighter in hand, looking for passages that spoke of Jesus’ time with His Father. The fact that Jesus prioritized prayed, also astounded me as a child. “Prayer was about getting things from God. What would He need that He couldn’t get Himself,” I reasoned. The Gospel of Luke is covered with blue in my Bible. Jesus was a man of prayer…personal, private, and intentional. Maybe, I’ve surmised, prayer is more than just request. Maybe there is something about communion, intimacy and marching orders. Things I don’t always invite or receive, hindered by my ideas of prayer that miss the mark.

Luke 4-6 is covered in blue: 4:1, 4:14, 4:42, 5:16, 6:12.

I found this “lead up” intriguing as I read the story of a funeral in Luke 7:11-17. Unasked, Jesus “went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still.” (vs. 14) Whoa, baby! What a way to make a scene. That was not a casual action, a stage show, but a Spirit-led reaction to do the will of the One He knew so well.

Jesus was Spirit-led.

And the impact?

Not only was a dead man raised to life, but it caused the crowd to see, recognize, acknowledge “God has visited His people!” (7:16 ESV & HCSB). Jesus’ Spirit-led action that day brought life to more than just one man. The news of Jesus spread far and wide.

Eyes were opened. Hearts made ready.

The pressure is off, dear friends. Being about the Father’s work is beyond what we can do. It’s not about us and our gifts and plans and abilities. We do not have to make or manufacture the work of God on earth. We only need to know His voice.

How do we know His voice speaking into ours today? It’s not hard. It’s not complicated, but it does take time.

Like Jesus, we spend time in our Father’s Presence.

Been there lately?

How do you find yourself in the Father’s presence?

First time here?

Welcome! We’re a group that gathers around the theme, “There has to be a better way.” We’re finding it in the 4-word mission statement, “Run hard. Rest well.”

  • It’s a journey into the heart of God. It comes our way through an on-going exploration of four biblical rhythms that revive, replenish and restore: Sabbath Keeping, Sleep (and other simple stress-reducers), Stillness—personal retreat, and Solitude—personal retreat.
  • It’s an expedition that challenges us at every turn. It convicts us in deep, tender places. It alters our priorities and plans. It’s not for the faint of heart.
  • It’s adventure at its best – as we learn to run the race in a power not our own.

First time here?

8 thoughts on “On Coffins & the Spirit-Led Life”

  1. Being in the Presence of God does many things. It brings a stillness and it brings a readiness and it brings tears. Tears of joy and adoration and tears as we recognize our unworthiness and His worth. I wouldn’t rather be anywhere else.

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  2. I’m finding, lately, that I look forward to that few moments after taking communion at church, when I kneel to pray and thank God for dying on the cross and rising from the grave. When I was a kid it felt like a long time of doing nothing, but now I see it as one more opportunity to be in God’s presence.

    Great post.

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  3. Lately, and I don’t know if it’s just because I’m older, or what, but I’ve been finding that I really crave those few moments after the Lord’s Supper at church. I kneel down and pray for just a minute, but it’s becoming a time where every distraction just seems to disappear so I can focus on God.

    Great post. I like that you describe prayer as hearing from God rather than just asking God for things.

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  4. Thank you for the reminder. God has been reminding me of my need to get alone with Him repeatedly. Conversations take time. It takes time to get quiet enough to hear His voice. when I feel like “thin soup” , with nothing left to give, it’s time to be in His presence . You are in my prayers.

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  5. My prayer time is my solace. It is my few precious moments between me and Him. How I long for those moments to be hours, days, weeks, infinite. Sometimes as a parent I find it difficult to find one on one time with one of my children. But our Great Father in heaven has every moment for us, his children. All we need to do is seek Him. He is always there. He is infinite. It has been on my heart to spend a full day (24 hours) only praising and thanking Him. I am finding it difficult, because of how much I ask for. “Lord help my children.” Lord help my friends” Lord, help I am lost!” I drive by an ambulance. “Lord bless the person inside. Lord keep the rescue workers safe.” Rather it should be, “Lord thank you for today, for now. Lord, blessed is that you gave us rescue workers. Lord, thank you for my family.”

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