Thought for the day – Wednesday 10th June 2020
Romans 8: 16 For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God’s children.
Having been invited as the guest preacher, it was rather startling to be approached at the end of the sermon by a elderly lady looking at me intently and asking me the question “Sister, are you saved?”. It certainly made a change from the usual “thank you for a lovely sermon” approach, welcome though that always is. My drawing of breath and slight pause said it all – was I saved and what did that really mean? My search for the answer eventually led me into the Methodist Church.
One of the big revelations John Wesley had as a result of his Aldersgate experience was a new awareness of the power and the work of the Holy Spirit. To this day Wesley is spoken of with deep respect and affection by Pentecostal and Charismatic fellowships. His “heart strangely warmed” is often seen as a special infilling of the Holy Spirit preparing him for the great work of renewal which lay ahead.
We are loved by the Father and set free by the Son. The Holy Spirit enables us to hear and discern the will of God and gives us the ability to follow that will, The key response to forgiveness is listening and obedience. Listening to the Holy Spirit keeps us in fellowship with God and in that fellowship we have that deep assurance that we are saved, we are His child.
So – today’s question – “Brother, Sister, are you saved? And what does being saved mean to you?”
Prayer
Holy God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Thank you for your love. Thank you for making my life more real, more special, more compete. Thank you that you are ever with me, ever encouraging and enabling and comforting. Open my ears to your words, open my heart to your love with others and open my eyes to see all people as you see them.You have given us a world full of possibilities and opportunities to share your love and your hope. Give us the faith and the courage to seize those possibilities and opportunities according to your will so that you and your Kingdom may be glorified. In Jesus’ name.
Amen.