Friday 07 September 2012

Background

I suspect the last words of Dave (ie me) will be quite differentto the last words of David. It is not likely that you will find mefeeling confident enough to say "The spirit of the Lord speaksthrough me" on my deathbed or anywhere else. Given the very visiblefailings of David my first feelings are of wonder at hisarrogance.

Yet recently I have been challenged by Jurgen Moltmann's bookThe Spirit of Life: A universal affirmation. We studied this as acircuit and part of it that I found very exciting was the wayMoltmann shows how in so much of Scripture the Holy Spirit isunderstood to be dwelling in God's people. I suggest that too oftenwe focus on the 'exciting' gifts of the Holy Spirit and ignore theSpirit bringing life to all, dwelling in all.

I find I can look at these last words of David differently whenI understand the Holy Spirit in all, bringing us life, working forhealing and reconciliation in us, leading us towards eternal lifeand suffering with us. (Moltmann develops this by considering theHoly Spirit suffering with Jesus on the cross, staying in himthrough his death and then bringing him to new life on EasterDay.)

With this in mind I find something new when I look again atthese last words of David. Instead of being irritated orintimidated by his confidence, I am reassured by what this revealsof God and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Despite David'sfailings God has not abandoned him, the Holy Spirit has not shut upshop and left, indeed right up to and through his death the HolySpirit is at work in David.

If the Holy Spirit does not give up on an adulterous murdererlike David then probably I should have more confidence that theHoly Spirit will not give up on me and so still dwells in me and,if I allow, speaks through me.

To Ponder

• How do you feel about the idea that the Holy Spirit speaksthrough you as well as through David? Does it excite you, terrifyyou, seem impossible or what?

• If you look back, are there times when you have felt the HolySpirit speaking through you? What was going on at the time?

• Can you think of any people you have known or read about thatyou would describe as having the Holy Spirit talking through them?How do you feel that fits with this passage?