As I stated in "The Year That Could Be" ; "Nothing seems to drive Christians crazier than trying to put a finger on the Holy Spirit." And nothing could be truer than my personal pursuit to unravel the "mystery" of this seemingly elusive member of The Trinity.
The shroud of mystery and suspense began with references like "Holy Ghost" . . . a little spooky . . . and the "Holy Spirit" . . . less spooky, but more mysterious. So I grew up wondering if this was some celestial entity that followed me around reporting back to command central in Heaven about what I was up to? Was he perched up on my shoulder taking note of my deeds or whispering into the hollows of my ear? Was he there to guide me, punish me, convict me, tell on me . . . or worse yet . . . haunt me with "goodness"?
Upon returning to the Church in 2003 tracking down the root of this mystery became one of my first quests. It's hard to explain, but during my 20 years of wandering in the shadows of life I always felt "protected" for lack of a better word . . . I always had a feeling that somehow, some way, some day I would find my way back . . . something better was in store for me than these moments at the trough.
In 2006 my father, a retired minister, lay on his death bed while I desperately pressed him for any, and every, inkling of knowledge and wisdom he had about the Holy Spirit. It was amongst the last of our conversations. I buried myself in books and I relentlessly asked questions of nearly everyone. "What's the BIG Mystery of the Holy Spirit?"
It took but Charles F. Stanley pocket-sized book "Living in the Power of the Holy Spirit" to answer nearly every question I had and to put a proper perspective on this "mystery". I believe it is our own vernacular which confuses us. It's the words we use that create the cloud that mystifies us. It's our cultural predisposition to words like "spirit" and "ghost" that send our curious minds off into a metaphysical whirlpool in which understanding about the Holy Spirit remain elusive.
Stanley is quick to acknowledge the propensity we have to confuse ourselves with words like "ghost" and points out that the clearest frame of reference is in The Beginning. Genesis 1:2 calls Him the "Spirit of God". All of the sudden it, rather He, makes a lot more sense. It is the Spirit of God that we are given. It is the Spirit of God that guides, grows, nurtures, convicts, and motivates us. It is the Spirit of God that helps us find our way home. It, or He, is not some ghastly ghostly haunting that reside 45 degrees off our shoulder and just beyond the reaches of our eyesight. The Spirit of God resides within the impassioned membrane of our souls. He's not a spirit or ghost of the dead that our imaginations may conjure up . . . but rather the Spirit of He who lives.
Forget Scooby Doo and ghost . . . think E.T. Remember in the movie E.T. when ET starts to glow because he feels love, life, and passion? Well, in my own goofy and contemporary way that is a lot more accurate representation of the Spirit of God than are words like "ghost". Much like ET's life-force, God's Spirit is our indwelling beacon that urges us to seek the path home.
"Living in the Power of the Holy Spirit" is a quick and easy read. Stanley answers the fundamental questions of "Who, What, Why, Where, and When?" in a clear and concise fashion that will add a new dimension to the understanding and appreciation of your faith. Best yet is that it's less than $10. "Living in the Power of the Holy Spirit" at Amazon.com
And remember; He is the "Spirit of God" . . .
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