Moved by the Spirit

Dear Friends in Christ -
The Scripture passages for yesterday's worship service and for today's Scripture meditations from the daily office (Forward Day By Day) are all about the movement of the Spirit.

I love the KJV translation of yesterday's reading from Genesis 1:1-5 - "the Spirit moved over the face of the waters." Sounds all mysterious and powerful and creative, doesn't it?

The Spirit does indeed push us out of our comfort zone - and does more (and more powerful) things than we can imagine. But all with a purpose. A purpose which is not a secret to us: "he has made known to us the mystery of his will . . . to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth" (Ephesians 1:9-10). I find the truth of that both profoundly encouraging and profoundly challenging. If I'm honest, I have to confess that I don't want ALL things gathered up in him - I'm biased against some things, I've been hurt by others, and I find still other things just plain ugly or distasteful.

But the more I get to know God, the more I believe that "all things work together for good" and that He wants only good for me, for us. As I trust God, I become more available to be the kind of conduit for grace that He wants me to be.

Today I pray that I - that we - may be moved by the Spirit to go beyond "the rules" and ask God to show us how we can love in ways that break down barriers and free our hearts to invite, to embrace, to give.

Faithfully,
Janet+

P.S. - Following is a story from today's "Forward Day By Day" showing how one person did just that:

"The quiet young man in the back of my English class struggled with literature. I hated giving him an F for the last quarter. He was shy of a D by two points. Sorry, but that's the rule.

Two months later the guidance counselor called me. She said the student I had failed wanted to talk with me. My grading had denied his diploma. Would I speak with him? I said yes and she put him on. "Sir, I know I have no right to ask, but I wanted to see if you'd consider raising my last quarter grade from an F to a D. The Marine Corps will not take me without a diploma. I know you'll say 'no' but I had to ask."
After a pause I asked him three questions: what was the last thing we read in class; who wrote it; and what does it teach us? He said, "Romeo and Juliet; William Shakespeare; and love makes you do stupid things sometimes, but love anyway."

I replied, "Congratulations, Private. Stay safe. Put the counselor on the phone." Sometimes the Holy Spirit moves us to do a better thing than just the normal thing."