Be Careful What You Ask For!

In many churches, the Sunday after Pentecost is called Trinity Sunday:  a time for special welcome to the Holy Spirit which has now stepped forth along with the Creating Father and Redeeming Son.   The doctrine of the Trinity separates Christianity from most other world religions:  some will erroneously understand us as worshiping 3 deities.   St. Patrick used a shamrock to illustrate the idea of three leaves on one central stem.

How does this Holy Spirit make a difference?  The writer(s) of Proverbs suggest a Divine Wisdom emanates from Creation, which then calls out joyful wonder to humans. (8:1-4, 22-31)   I have no problem equating this Old Testament spiritual visitation with the New Testament Advocate–but some will differ.  If I think of the role of God’s Spirit as bearer of Wisdom, I’m glad for some Presence which can give me a nudge or a clout when my very limited insight can’t solve the Puzzle.

The Epistle, Romans 5:1-5, can prove problematic if we try to bend it to the theme of Spiritual Wisdom.  So don’t.  What Paul is saying here is that faith in Jesus the Christ is the doorway to the storehouse of grace which God loves to share!  This is, of course, a Trinitarian doctrine which delves deeply into the Holy Wholeness in which we walk…..  “Justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“When the Spirit of truth comes”, says Jesus, “he will guide you into all the truth.”  (John 16:13a)   Through the centuries, we’ve paid soothsayers and oracles of all types to tell us All the Truth.   Consulting stars and crystals, tarot cards and lines in my palms, seers have made a good dime pretending to advise us about love, war and the weather.  (If you call the Psychic Hot-Line and they ask your name, hang up!)  The Wisdom of God goes beyond  sideshow gimmicks to deal with the Big Picture, that is, God’s Glory and exclusive sovereignty.

Is Wisdom a good thing?  Sure!  Bring it on!   Ah, but is that what you really want?  They say that “Ignorance is Bliss”.   And when we start to see God’s Wisdom, we’re setting ourselves up to be constrained by it!   Knowing the speed-limits and rules of culture means that we’re expected to live by them.  Touched by the Spirit, we can no longer in good conscience turn away from the poor and the homeless, can no longer ignore those who menace and intimidate with firearms, can no longer sit back while the selfish impale the vulnerable on swords of higher profit.  What hath God wrought??

God Bless Us, Every One!       H    B    King