The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
11For
who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In
the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
12What
we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is
from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.
13This
is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words
taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught
words.c
14The
person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the
Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand
them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.
15The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments,
16for,
“Who has known the mind of the Lord
so as to instruct him?”d
But we have the mind of Christ.
Lord, ever on my mind are my friends who say adamantly that you don't exist. Or that you are a distant party. Then there are those who only seek your signs and wonders and check their minds at the door as if thinking is evil. And yet here in your word are the most profound commentaries on any issue of life... and the evidence of the supernatural that supercedes the logical.
Lord, I'm struggling. I watch the transvestite model aching for acceptance. The other girl who says she's uncomfortable with "her" is instantly labeled a racist. Then there's the lesbian with a total chip on her shoulder... we learn she hates her mother... and I see in her a little girl seeking kisses from other girls because I'd bet she never got kisses from her mommy, or her mom's unqualified praise.
And here am I, Lord. Sweetly blessed.
Our world views are shaped by our experiences. My father told me I could pursue anything I wanted to be. My conservative Christian dad believes in submission, HOWEVER, he was very clear to say that it was totally my choice and not something he would force or enforce. He would indeed gladly lay his life down for me. The point for both of us was a heart toward Christ. In other words, submission sounded to me like, "I'm your dad. What I'm asking you to do is pursue your dreams. Do you think you'd be willing to submit to that?"
My mother gave me kisses. My mother listened to my heart and didn't try to fix it when it was immature and seeking love in some of the wrong places. My mother waited for me to grow into my own skin. My mother saw past my gnarly snarking teen years and my wailing-for-the-right-man single days. She gave me all kinds of kisses. My mother is an independent thinker who will not take the news at face value. She's a well read, big picture seer who has been prophetic in her assessments in too many areas for me to count.
But my parents are not perfect... not by a long shot.
And now, as a mom of almost adults, I'm so grateful they aren't.
I know now that I don't have to be perfect to be loved. Others don't have to be perfect for me to love them.
So - reading these words of Yours at face value - You tell me because Your spirit lives in me that I have the mind of Christ.
The
person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the
Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand
them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.
I remember praying for ** who is now obsessed with trying to prove you don't exist. I also remember vividly the impression that ** was reserving giving all in case "it didn't work"... and it didn't, possibly because they never really surrendered? I still wonder.
As soon as I voice any strong opinion, ** says "That's not very nice" while simultaneously calling anyone an idiot who would believe in God. ...not very nice. It made me so frustrated to try debating with two sets of rules. If I nailed home a point, I wasn't very nice. But if ** nailed home a point, I wasn't allowed to talk back in a matching tone.
Up until yesterday, I felt both desperate for him and defensive for myself.
But today, I realize that The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments,
16for,
“Who has known the mind of the Lord
so as to instruct him?”d
But we have the mind of Christ.
This doesn't mean for me to be critical of **. But logically, I believe God exists and He is Christ and him crucified.
It doesn't really matter whether ** believes me or not. If God is real, it will be God that ** will have to stand in front of at the very second ** breathes their last breath. At that point, all of **'s doubt will be gone.
As for me, when I see the intensity of those burning eyes, I want for Him to see the family likeness of a daughter who looks just like her Daddy God.
Logically, we can't prove what happens after death. So, if by some unprovable-on-this-side chance that ** is right and there is no God, then I will have lived a blissful life of totally uncanny coincidences that blew wonder into my days and gave me unspeakable joy. I will have known love without guilt. I will have discovered grace. I will have buckled under forgiveness, only to find freedom to stand up and not be consumed with myself.
And I will know that the world was still a better place because Jesus Christ walked on it and showed us what real love looks like.
But I'm making this exception only for the sake of logic. The reality is What I have received is not the spirit of the world (logic alone without wonder, or wonder alone without logic), but the Spirit who is
from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.
I'm just a mom with a brain that works.
But I believe in God. I believe in Jesus Christ and him crucified. I am a first hand witness to the fact that He is able to do more than I could have ever imagined .... or logically thought.
And while I don't judge these people, I'm called to judge the situation. To make an assessment. And the conclusions I come up with are that the world is aching and trying get what only You have to give, but they try to get it by running the other way. If you tell them their ways are wrong, it is only to redirect them toward you... and your open arms.
And that seems pretty fair and reasonable to me.
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