Thoughts which drive me to Jesus, and to the Cross

“Therefore I sent for you at once, and you were kind enough to come. So now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to say to us.”” (Acts 10:33, NET)

The deeper spiritual life is not something just to be talked about—it is a quiet enjoyment of daily blessing and peace and victory that is lived day by day; beyond empty profession and without any two-faced circumstances!

I have a number of friends that are treading on roads they think will lead them to a deeper spiritual life. They have bought the books by Dallas Willard, or by Fr. Timothy Gallagher. They are reading old classics and new books they share their passion and desire, yet, after a few years, they try to go deeper, they want to do more, they want to find something that will give meaning to their faith.

And they want to share the answers they are in pursuit of, they want others to join them on their journey.

I applaud the desire, it is one that we can trace back through names, both Catholic and Protestant, to the early church, including this Roman Centurion, who wasn’t content with the little he knew of God, and sent for the apostle Peter at God’s direction.

The oddity is that it was at God’s direction. The text actually says that the man’s prayer had been heard…and this was the response.

In other words, Cornelius already had a deep walk with God – for God had come to him. Sure there was another step – send for Peter, and another, listen to Peter, and another get baptized.

It is no wonder then that upon Peter’s arrival, Cornelius prophetically announces, “now we are all in the presence of God,” as everyone settled into hear Peter say what he had been prepared to say, but didn’t know he would.

They were ready to simply enjoy the blessing and peace and they would find out Victory that they had in Jesus, that would be confirmed by the Spirit who fell upon them there, who would be guaranteed to be there a few minutes later in Baptism.

You don’t get a deeper spiritual life than that, you simply become aware of it, in much the same manner, we listen to God… we rejoice in the peace and blessings He gave, to contemplate the mystery of our Salvation…

We don’t do anything to grow more mature as a Christian, save in depending more on the promises of Christ, and the presence of the Holy Spirit. The growth is caused, empowered and directed by the Holy Spirit….. who then guides us as we go and serve others!

Tozer, A. W., & Smith, G. B. (2008). Mornings with Tozer: Daily Devotional Readings. Moody Publishers.