If you can hear, listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.
Revelation 3:6 (CEB)
Sometimes I imagine the Spirit calling out like the Verizon man, “Can you hear me, can you hear me now?”
There is much to say, much to call us to, remind us about, and teach us. In order for all of this ministry to take place we must listen to what the Spirit is saying. Listening turns out to be very difficult work.
The Spirit’s voice can easily be drown out by our “noise.” We are busy people, we have plans, schedules, and projects. When we gather as a church we have a collection of plans, schedules, and projects. We also have collective ideas about mission, ministry, and program. I wonder what God’s Spirit would want to tell us about those?
In the book of Revelation we have a Spirit who has detailed opinions about the state of the churches being named. The messenger has some good things to say, “pats on the back,” you might call them, then there are the “growing edges.” Apparently there was much activity going on in these churches but the activity left much to be desired. Their busyness did not necessarily amount to faithfulness, their success, did not amount to fruitfulness.
So we must listen. Stop the talking, planning, whining, and strategizing and listen. Apparently we as a body must also change our hearts and lives and we too must be made attentive to what God is up to in the world. If we listen the Spirit is ready to tell us, comfort us, empower us, and show us the way. Can we hear . . .?