Pentecost 80 Getting a Spiritual

[HKHaugan]

Pentecost 80 Getting a Spiritual

Everyone needs a physical once a year. What we also need is a spiritual, probably more often, like say, everyday.

When Clint Eastwood said in the movie “Dirty Harry” ‘…A man’s got to know his limitations…’ he probably didn’t realize that was a very biblical truth. Man has limited intellect, limited physical ability and limited personal and interpersonal ability. The foundational problem is that he is spiritually limited by sin and its self-centeredness, which is the limitation that causes all the rest. When we recognize that fact and receive Jesus as Lord, He introduces us to a limitless spiritual experience. Let’s look at that.

There are three dimensions to our human consciousness, mind, heart and soul.

First, the mind. While the mind can be trained to absorb a certain amount of world knowledge, that kind of knowledge is limited. No one can know everything,
think perfectly or even be assured that they can handle what they do know. The mind needs to be secured. The mind needs rebirth.

Second, the heart. Here is where we find the tender center of the individual. Here is the seat of emotion, pondering, choosing and deciding. Here is where we process character, integrity, faith, belief and trust, therefore, the most vulnerable part of our being. The heart needs to be secured. The heart needs rebirth.

Third, the soul. Everyone has a personal spiritual nature; the ‘I am’ made in the image of God. Our soul is our eternal identity before God. Where our mind and heart work builds the soul. The soul without God is like a lonely leaf blowing in a Fall wind. The soul needs to be secured. The soul needs rebirth.

Obviously, we are bereft of words to describe these inner realities. Apart from God man pursues the extension of his material self to satisfy his inner longings. Until we allow God a place in our consciousness we can only come to the depressing conclusion with the writer of Ecclesiastes,
“"Meaningless! Meaningless!"
says the Teacher.
"Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless." (1:2)

It is into this void of mind, heart and soul that Jesus comes to give the mind a new intellectual context to ponder, to give the heart a perfect relational security and the soul its true identity. What Jesus has done is to free us from the bondage of worldly intellect, free us from the fear of a lonely heart and free us from the desperate ‘living for the moment’ lifestyle resulting from not knowing who, what and why we are here.

“Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you (Mt.6:33).” “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Mt.22:37-40).”

Just from these inviting words of Jesus alone comes a spiritual challenge to open the mind, heart and soul to the stimulation of the Spirit. He encourages any mind, heart and soul to ponder who He is and challenge what He says. He will bring His Spirit to bear because of the love He carries in His heart for everyone. Is it time for a spiritual?

Rebirthing the mind, the heart and the soul. We’ll look at this a little bit more. Stay tuned…….