Strangely missing from the vocabulary of Christ-followers today is an old word that used to bring a hush over hearts and gravity to minds. The word conjures up a myriad of denotations and connotations and everything in between. When the word is mentioned, believers often immediately think of someone who models it, but the believers seldom think of themselves exhibiting it. Without this word, the whole Christianity thing just doesn’t make sense. It defines who we are. It manifests the invisible, immortal, and invincible God. It is the pinnacle work of the Holy Spirit in the life of every single believer.
I don’t hear the word much, and I must confess, I myself probably don’t use it enough when I disciple and mentor people in following Jesus. I need to put this word back into conversational circulation. Even though I speak of the process of it, and am personally on a journey in it, this word causes me to think and consider my walk with God with an incredible sense of seriousness. When I start majoring on the minors in my Christian life, this word flips my faith right-side up.
Without this word, we tend not to take the practice of our faith seriously. This powerful word is like a rudder that guides the great ship of the soul. The word is the one single feature that reveals us right with God and makes us distinct from a godless culture. When it’s mentioned in our conversations, however, we tend to think of it as something unattainable and beyond us. Something for super-Christians, prestigious preachers, and marvelous missionaries….and of course, grandmother. But we seldom think of it as a practical part of our own personal life. We may even feel it is something that we have to earn before we get it, take a class before we understand it, or drink some spiritual energy drink before we can have the power to live it. When we think of this word in that way, we tend to focus on changing our external behavior rather than renovating the interior life of our hearts. But this word, which is the most important work of God in our lives, begins in the heart and is the work of the Spirit.
When I doubt the work of the church, or get discouraged with my feeble attempts at “being” a Christian; when I am disappointed with the fruitlessness of ministry, or I am dejected because of my own and other’s lack of progress in the faith, I tend to ask myself, “What’s this all about anyway?” My faith begins to swerve in the storm. One word restores my spiritual equilibrium, and puts me back on track. It reminds me exactly what God’s purpose and plan is for His children. The word that directs our growth as believers and marks the people of God ought to be the passion of every lifelong learner of Jesus. If you think you know the word I am writing about, e-mail me at shishman@sbcglobal.net .

Category : Tommy Talk