I try to cry out constantly that the Christian life REALLY IS supernatural! As we battle the world, the flesh and the devil, however, we are constantly having to face the temptation to de-supernaturalize the Christian life...or, at least, to minimize the supernatural nature of our daily lives as Christ-followers. If we truly believed every moment was lived in touch with the supernatural, we would love God enough, as Francis Schaeffer says in True Spirituality, to say "Thank You" even in the difficult times and we would love each other enough to not envy.
In the account of the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt 17), we are reminded that the supernatural we often do not see is entwined with the natural that we see. At any moment the veil could be lifted and we can see the supernatural "break in upon" what we perceive as merely the natural. The Supernatural is not some "far-off" place...it is where we are, even though we don't often "see" it.
If we "buy into" the supernatural view of life, then seeing Christ bear fruit through us (John 15--abiding), or understanding Numbers 21 and the "look to the cross" that releases transforming grace, is no longer a problem. Understanding Luke 1:38 and Christ being formed in us as we believe and saying "Be it done TO me according to Your Word" is no longer hard to grasp in a supernatural framework. The issue is not merely understanding this concept, but living in light of it on a daily, moment by moment basis.
Too often we get so caught up in the moment, we live as though the supernatural were not there. In a word, we all struggle with unbelief. We resort to human effort rather than believing the gospel (Galatians 3:1-5). Schaeffer gives a GREAT illustration in True Spirituality, chapter 5, when he writes about the place called Mahanaim from Genesis 32:1-2 (p59). Mahanaim means "two camps" and it was the meeting place of the natural and the supernatural for Jacob...WE TOO live in Mahanaim...the junction of the natural and the supernatural. We perceive the natural world; the supernatural world is just as real, just as valid, just as near at hand.
In 2 Kings 6:16-17 we learn through Elisha's servant that the supernatural world IS NEAR, but we just don't see it...we are to believe that the supernatural is present even if we don't see it or feel it. Faith doesn't MAKE it there...it is ALREADY there and we are to believe it is there and LIVE in the reality of its presence.
The Spirit-filled life, the life of transforming grace through faith is supernatural...LIVE that way TODAY!!
1 comment:
I often think about the supernatural in the negative, such as the attacks from the devil etc. but forget or ignore that God is for me and present with me. Still unbelief I guess.
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