Listen for that God-breathed whisper as you recall the final words of the One who came and changed everything, “Therefore go and make disciples…”
Have you ever felt inspired? Inspiration is such a powerful word and even more so, a powerful feeling. In Greek, it means ‘God-breathed’. In scripture, we see God-breathed inspiration in what happened to Mary when the Spirit came over her and caused a stirring inside of her. It’s what happened in the upper room when God’s inspiration came like a rushing mighty wind and stirred Peter to preach with such inspiration that 3,000 were saved.
Whatever is God-breathed will yield meaningful transformation that transcends cultures and generations. We are reminded of this in Acts 5, when Gamaliel, a teacher of the law approaches the Sanhedrin as an advocate for Peter and the apostles who had been imprisoned for preaching the Gospel. Gamaliel says to the Sanhedrin, “Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
What is God breathing in you?
I can remember the first time I felt that God-breathed whisper in my life. I was riding home after evening church as a child, gazing out the window watching the cornfields of Ohio fly passed. My eyes wandered up to the endless stars in the sky and suddenly, I felt this overwhelming tug on my heart. I wanted to do something. Not like ‘go out and play with my friends’ something, but I wanted to do SOMETHING that changed things. Something that had meaning. I see now that was Holy Spirit, shaping me, guiding me, teaching me to listen. At the time (and still today) I didn’t have a ‘vision’ of what that something would be for my life, but at some point, I decided that I would not wait around for a big reveal. Instead, I started saying ‘yes’ to the small things that whisper that God-Breathed sweetness into my soul. And after 20 years of saying ‘yes’ to those whispers, I find myself working in a career path I’d never imagined, living in a state I’d never willingly choose, loving and discipling children who’ve been abandoned.
Discipling.
I shouldn’t be surprised that following Holy Spirit has led me to a path of discipling. Brothers and sisters THIS. IS. OUR. AIM. Not just your pastor’s aim. Not your worship leader’s aim. It is OUR aim. It is the final command Jesus gives us.
As a society, we place such high value on the final words of someone. We carry them around with us for years to come. Now, let us do the same with these words. Listen for that God-breathed whisper as you recall the final words of the One who came and changed everything:
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 5:19-20
P.S. Once you’ve heard God’s whisper, don’t forget to move.
