I would tell you not to tell the preacher on me, but I literally set just a few feet away from where he stands preaching on Sunday evening, so I’m pretty sure he knows. My attention span is only as disciplined as my imaginations allows. It is the boss of me so often. I’ll begin my note taking with the greatest of intentions. His sermons are packed full wisdom that I long to remember, but then… the Shari of constant chaos engages with my brain, and my pencil has a life of it’s own. My notes turn into doodles and quick jot and before long of got an entire page of nonsense. Well, to anyone who dares to look at it. But to me it’s the sweetness of God’s word saved to the page for me chew on later like a fine piece of licorice!
Sunday night it was that Coke can that caused my mind to go amuck. Pastor Steven was preaching on one of my favorite topics, the Holy Spirit. And the difference between the thirst quenching power of the world (which is fake) and the thirst quenching of the Spirit, which of course is the Real Thing! I know it all too well!
It was at that point the Coca Cola jingle from my childhood began playing in my head. I had learned it in the 5th grade Grantsville Elementary School Choir. We all stood on the playground and sang it at a special event for which I don’t remember. But I remember the day, and I was excited, because that day had music, and music has always made me happy. Just like many things in the world do, for a while. But it never lasts.
But the day I felt the Holy Spirit move in my soul for the first time, I wasn’t trading it for anything in the world. I knew I’d found the real thing! How did I know? I’m glad you ask!
A Real Peace
That was the most significant thing in my life. Because I’d never had it. From my earliest memories my soul was in turmoil and fear of eternity. But the day the Holy Spirit moved in, the day I said yes to Jesus as Savior, was the day that peace arrived on the scene of my heart and hasn’t left. I may have moments of insecurity or uncertainty, but it’s quickly followed by assurance and steadfast confirmation that my world is in God’s control. That’s the Real Thing!
A Real Place
With real people. Not perfect ones, but ones like me who made mistakes and let me know it was okay to not be okay, but it wasn’t okay to stay that way. A place where the altar was more than a step to the platform, but it was a step to getting your life together. Sunday after Sunday I wept at that altar, trying to figure salvation out for myself, thinking I could fix my life. Because that’s what the world wants us to believe. That’s a lie. Salvation is through our belief in Christ and His finished work on the cross, alone. But being in a place to grow and learn is how you keep on going and winning the real battles that come in life. Those are a real thing too!
A Real Passion
When I discovered the love of God, and began to understand what He did for me, there was a passion that began welling up in my soul and God sent person after person to add fuel to it. Preachers, musicians, singers, mentors… so many people of talent and a like passion that I couldn’t get enough of serving the Lord! That’s all I wanted to do. It’ was the first time in my life that I was doing something that I knew for certain, beyond a shadow of a doubt, made a difference. An eternal difference.
I’d done a lot of great things in my life to help folks out, but all of it was going to burn up on the last day of earth, and I knew it. But now I had a purpose that would last all of eternity. And that passion is still alive and well today. It’s the real thing!
Is it real in your life. Do you have real peace, a real place of acceptance and love and real passion make a difference in this world. I pray so. If not, please, please shoot me a message on Facebook, or in the comments below and I’ll get back to you ASAP! Let’s get this matter taken care of! We have places to go and people to see, and an Eternity to spend together.
