Being open to the leading of the Holy Spirit is essential for us as individual and collective followers of Jesus. When we choose not to be open, suggests Jurgen Moltmann, then the church will waste away as we fail to hear what the Spirit is saying to us at any given time. We will not hear words of hope; we will not receive our instructions in mission; we will not receive the power needed to see the Kingdom grow.

We hear this call of Moltmann’s as an echo of what we hear in scripture in John of Patmos’ revelation, ‘He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches’ (Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 29, 3:6, 13, 22). This phrase, repeated six times in such a short space, is a clarion call to a church as it faces intense persecution from the Roman authorities. It is no wonder that John uses such apocalyptic language to note down what he sees since it must have felt to the church at the time that the world was at an end and that Jesus was soon to return. But in the face of this severe test the instruction to the church is, ‘Listen to what the Spirit says’.

There are plenty today who use very similar apocalyptic language as they attempt to read the signs of the times. Islamic fundamentalism, the devaluing of life by modern medicine, the marginalisation of the church by a torrent of secularism – all are seen as evidence of a coming tidal wave to engulf the church and sweep it away from the Western world.

In the face of such threats – whether real or imagined – what we need to do, however, is not react out of fear, but do what we are called to do in every age – be open to the Holy Spirit. And in all ages this Spirit causes the heart of the seeker to declare, ‘Jesus is Lord’ (1 Cor 12:3). This simple yet profound declaration of faith is the very foundation of our renewed life: the Spirit causes us to believe its theological truth, causes us to trust in that truth for our every day life, and causes us to declare it not just with our voice but also with our at-peace heart as we live out this faith in the face of all challenges.

The Spirit is saying, ‘Jesus is Lord; the Spirit causes me to say, ‘Jesus is Lord’. And on this rock I build my life.

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