A NOSE FOR GOD
In my neighborhood this
weekend, many more houses than usual were putting up Christmas decorations and
I did too. Along with my nativity scene, I like to put up Rudolph the red-nose
reindeer because he reminds me of how God communicates His insight to us
through our spiritual five senses, the sense of smell being one of them. And here’s
an example of how they can work:
When I was 21, I was a
nurse’s assistant in the hospital. I walked the antiseptic-green hallway of the
orthopedic floor and smelled that awful odor once again.
I was enrolled in a Bible
class and just beginning to pay attention to how the Holy Spirit works in me. I
could smell cancer. At first, I thought it was just a smell that came with
cancer, but when I asked, I found out that no one else could smell it. God was
using my spiritual sense of smell to point out certain patients that needed
special prayer and compassion.
What about our visual
senses? Maybe because I’m an artist, but God often will show me a picture, a
vision. This morning when we were talking and praying, I saw (in a visual
vignette) a tall confident man standing up with a large group of weaker people
huddled below him. There was something unusual about this man. He was more like
a robot. He had no compassion. The people were like tools. He used them and
gave them to others to use, but he personally had no love for them. I’m not
going to mention names, but I knew who this man was, and with a little more
insight from God, I became aware of the story behind this man and others like
him.
Years ago, I wanted to buy
some new furniture. I prayed about it and I remember getting a mental picture, in
color, of three pieces of furniture: two nice dark cherry chairs and a leather recliner
in the same dark color. I kept seeing that picture every time I prayed for my
furniture. It was the Lord’s way of assuring me that I could have them. In a
couple of months, I found all the pieces on sale and was able to buy all
three without going into debt.
What about hearing? People
hear the voice of the Lord in several different ways. He can talk in an audible
voice, seeming so natural that the person might look around to see who’s there.
When the Lord talks to us from within ourselves it can sound like our own voice
or even the voice of someone we know. Often the Lord speaks to our spirit in a
“still small voice” from deep within or we get a feeling of just knowing
something that we hadn’t thought of ourselves.
A spiritual sense of taste?
There are times when I've taken a taste of something and though it didn't annoy
my regular taste buds, I knew I wasn't supposed to eat it. One time I got the
message, but I took a couple extra bites anyway and felt bad all afternoon.
As for the spiritual sense
of touch, there have been times when I've nearly jumped away from someone who
wanted to touch me and pass on something bad, like in the movie “Fallen”. On
the other hand, the spiritual sense of touch comes into play often. Sometimes,
by the spirit, I know to touch someone’s arm, to pass the love of God to them.
Nothing weird, just compassion and God’s love. I really don’t even think
about it too much; I just do it.
The Christ in us will
guide us and let us know the will of God in every situation. How does this
work? Through the guidance of the written word and through the spiritual five
senses we receive when we get born again and filled with the Holy Spirit.
Hebrews 5:14 tells us:
“For every one that useth
milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
“But strong meat belongeth
to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses
exercised to discern both good and evil.”
In other words, if we want
to grow up, we need to exercise our spiritual five senses; we need to use them.
As we practice using our spiritual five senses, we begin to have insight into spiritual
things about people and situations. It says in Luke 5:22 that “Jesus perceived
their thoughts.” And in Luke 6:8 “He knew their thoughts.” Knowing a person’s
motivation, or the source of what they say or do, helps us to get the Lord’s
strategy for our part in handling the situation or person. Do we need this? I’d
say a definite YES.
In a world where people
twist words, and they don’t really say what they mean, the Lord Jesus knows
already what’s in their hearts. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit in us, it’s
easy for Him to let us know the truth of what’s really going on, so we can not
only be protected, but help others as well.
If we are willing, the
Lord will teach us more about what our spiritual senses can tell us and how to
listen better. We will become more acutely aware of His presence, live on a
higher spiritual level, and be of more real help to people and the world around
us.
Love, Carolyn
My booklet with stories on
COMMITMENT is ******* FREE ******* through tomorrow. Commit to God and
receive intimate inside truths directly from Him to you via the five senses He’s
blessed you with 😊
