We live in a materialistic world, and like Thomas, the apostle, we are inclined to say“ unless I can see, touch, and handle I will not accept it as real” (my translation)
But God tells us that material things are only temporary, they did not exist before God created the world, and they will not exist in our eternal life. God Himself is not material, “God is a Spirit”. And you and I are spiritual beings, living in a body that lasts only for a short time. When Jesus comes back He will give us a new kind of body, but on the evidence of Our Lord’s appearance on earth between Easter and His Ascension, it will not be a materialistic body to fit in with this world which will be destroyed . So here is a mystery. (read I Cor: ch 15 from v35)
The season we call Whitsun, or after the Jewish festival,- Pentecost, helps us to understand, and get inspiration, for it teaches us something about God Himself. While Jesus was living here on earth He talked (prayed) to God as His Father, He also taught His disciples to say “Our Father”. But God, The Father, also showed Himself as Spirit when He came and said “ This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased”. So we have Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in oneness as God. John (ch4.v23-24) teaches that God is Spirit, and We are Spirit. When we communicate, or worship Him we MUST do so in our spirit, not in materialism. The body dies but the soul (spirit) lives forever.
The thrilling part of this for believers is that God can be with us. The Father was with Jesus at His Baptism (like a dove) He was with The First Disciples on that day of Pentecost (like a rushing wind and tongues of flame) and there are plenty of others to whom The Holy Spirit came.
The condition seems to be the desire of one to be with the other. God desired Paul to change from persecuting Jesus to working for Him. Others desire to seek God, but it always has to be under God’s terms not ours, because His ways are more important than ours, and He knows what is best. A verse of an old hymn comes to me as a wonderful way to express what God is seeking to teach us, it says :- “He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own And the dreams we share as we tarry there none other could ever know.” (I hope I have remembered it ) But God being Spirit, and we being spirit too means that we can live in Him every minute of every day as together we share this life He has given us.
Jesus said “Without Me you can do nothing”. It follows that With Him we can do always what is pleasing in His sight, and not do things which displease Him. I testify that I have found this to be true of my own life. When He said “Lo I am with you always, even unto the end” I believe this has been so. And the pure delight of that union I could not describe.
At this time it could be a real blessing to you to rededicate your life to God who is The Holy Spirit. To learn to pray in spirit (all the yearnings of your heart) and enjoy a new oneness in God your Saviour. Try to practice walking with Him and Talking with Him all the time in you mind Just love Him as you have never loved before.
His Blessings be In You. Gerald Gossage.