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What springs into mind when you think of someone being really spiritual, I mean super spiritual?? Does it excite you? Would you look forward to spending an afternoon with you & staying over for dinner? Would you wait with eager anticipation for a week end away with them or even a fortnights holiday with them? When you think of a really spiritual person do you think of someone who is really exciting or boring?, perhaps a little frightening? When some invites you to be spiritual does it feel like an invite to the dentist? ... Why?? Well I think it's because some Christians have 'high jacked' spirituality, - turned real Christianity into a cringe factor. They have redefined spirituality as totally 'un worldly' And the image of the spiritual person is someone with their eyes turned gently upward, hands very whitely folded upon their lap, and they never appear to walk but rather to glide... I especially noticed this when at a Cathedral as the procession began, they all appeared to glide, about 4" off the floor!! This spiritual person is always under control, never swears, never raises their voice or gets really, unjustifiably angry. Always has a peanut type smile as they speak, which fades as they turn away. Doesn't eat or drink to much, always quotes the appropriate scripture text for every occasion, tells of amazing spiritual stories, but usually about some one else and is long.. long ... suffering and with an amazing ability to either put you to sleep or make you hide from them!! And of course would never appear drunk.!! In Acts 2 we read that the disciples gathered together in a second story room where they used to meet with Jesus when He was alive . now they met together, a bunch of scared nobodies, frightened out of their minds, awaiting the arrival of soldiers to kill them as they had killed their leader. Lost abandoned, orphaned alone like any widower or widow, or one that has lost their child. Imagine how they felt, the one in whom they had placed all their trust and their future, Hopeless, longing, angry and Oh so frightened and unprotected. So they locked themselves in the room, barred the windows, drew the curtains and stared glumly at one another. It went on like that for days, waiting , pacing the room, just not quite knowing what they were waiting for. There was just that vague glimmer of hope. They were waiting in Jerusalem as Jesus had apparently requested them to do via those who had said they had met with the risen Christ. But then it began to happen!! Something , somewhere, somehow the room began to stir! A gentle breeze almost a breath at first, perhaps something like the breath of God as He breathed into the first man at the creation. , then the breath growing louder, swirling , filling the room and everyone in it!!. They began to smile,... they knew something wonderful was happening to them. Suddenly they knew they were transformed, they sprang to their feet rushed to the windows and doors, flinging them open they faced the crowd. They came down to earth, into the market place, into and among the people and gossiped the gospel, the good news, joyfully, clearly, loudly, excited & bubbly. God's spirit, the holy Spirit, was percolating in them. They had become confident , excited, active. Not afraid to mix with everyone, Celebrating wanting to tell, wanting to dance, wanting to party, wanting to listen, to heal, reach, teach, eat drink & pray. ... That's what it means to be spiritual!! Earthy, ordinary, of this world, grounded. Unashamed, with no airs or graces, not pretending to be anything but what they are. People delighted, joyful, full of God, full of the Holy Spirit, Spirit filled Christians. Just note what the crowds made of these spirit filled Christians. ... First they recognised that what they heard had a ring of truth, they understood what was being said to them. They heard it in a language that made sense to them. Not religious language, but in everyday language. Some thought they were drunk, simply because they looked so happy, ( the donkey religion, long faces). How often do we leave church, having celebrated with God Himself, shared communion, met with Christ appearing as if we were drunk, excited, laughing, inebriated with the spirit of God?? These changed Christians were truthful, they spoke of what they actually experienced, what they knew to be true ... AND the result??? about 3000 were added to the church that afternoon... A spiritual person, a truly spiritual person can celebrate life with everyone, from the 10 year old to the 90 year old., black, yellow, single married, divorced, remarried, re divorced, gay or straight. They will dance with you when you need to dance, talk when you need to talk, listen when you need to be listened to, eat & drink when you need to. But also to challenge you to talk when all you want to do is walk, to challenge you to listen when all you want to do is talk.. to be quite when you want to party. Being spirit filled is to be free, free from the things that weigh us down, Free to become what God wants us to be, allows you to be acceptable, not having to say you are too old or too young, not cleaver enough, not worth anything. It means being passionate, caring, risking, reaching. A people who open the window and doors of life and truly , honestly challenge others to do the same. All those who believe in Jesus, have that very Holy Spirit within them, it may just be that the celebration is locked up, in an upper room of your life, with doors & windows barred. Perhaps all that is need is the breath of God to release you to that celebration, joy, fullness. On this Pentecost 2001, |