5/30/10

Filled, but with What?



Some of you probably saw the animated movie Up where the old gentleman and his unintended young passenger flew to South America in a house lifted by helium-filled balloons. Well, this weekend a North Carolina man sat buckled  in a chair as a colorful bunch of balloons that looked like they belonged at a party (picture to the right), pulled him up and over the While Cliffs of  Dover, on across the English Channel to a landing in France.

Fill balloons up with the right stuff and they provide quite a lift. Fill them with heavy gases and they go nowhere. It is the same with you and me, and so the Scripture says, “Be filled with the Spirit.”

That statement in Greek is in the imperative mood: It is a command we can obey. But it is in the passive voice: we cannot fill ourselves; we have to allow God to do it. It is in the plural form: as with balloons, we need to be filled along with others—not by ourselves. Finally, it is in present tense: which means in Greek, continuous action. It is something to be done again and again.

Now, just so you know: I wrote this because I needed it.. If you can use it, all the better. But, I see my need to be filled with the lifting Spirit. I have had other heavier stuff trying to fill me up this week: stuff like discouragement, weariness and frustration, which is probably just a nicer word for anger. You get a lot of attitude but not much altitude from those guys, and they seem to come in only black and gray.

 We can choose what will fill us and  I am choosing God’s Spirit. And I am buckling up for the ride.
Ephes. 5:15-20
15Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. 18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.


Picture in the heading this week taken from the movie Up by Disney-Pixar
http://adisney.go.com/disneyvideos/animatedfilms/up/




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4 comments:

  1. AnonymousMay 31, 2010 at 7:24 AM

    Thanks for constantly sending out these messages us to your faceless readers. They always provide me with encouragement when I need it.

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  2. AnonymousMay 31, 2010 at 9:54 AM

    Dear Tom, I've been following your mind change moments. Just want to let you know that the words you write are a great source of encouragement to me.

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  3. M Bennett, UKJune 1, 2010 at 8:09 AM

    Thank you for your continuous support. Your words are very both challenging and inspiring. I really appreciated this week's input as it is very relevant for what I am going through and will help me to make Spirit filled choices. Thank you for allowing God to use you in this way.

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  4. TomJune 1, 2010 at 8:23 AM

    As any reader of my book MIND CHANGE knows, I have times when I feel the forces against me are a bit too much. I have been in some of those times lately, but thanks be to God he still saves those who feel crushed in Spirit (Psalm 34). The words the three of you have written are another reminder that God can use us even in our weakness. Thank you for your encouragement. May we all allow him to fill us and keep using us.

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