Inner Longings

It has been a while since I have posted.

Since that time, I must say, God has humbled me, encouraged me, built me up and challenged me in ways I never thought possible. My son, Aiden Isaac was born a few days ago and already I am beginning to see God's love for me in new and fresh ways.

One thing I realize is that God really does want people who's life is spent in adoration, love and service of Him. This might seem odd saying such a thing as a Chaplain, and a minister, but I see more and more that the spirit filled experiences of my college days are creating a longing for a life that is lived out like that in my current days. Its not enough to live in the memories of the past. God is present, and active, and longing to act in our day and time. In the here and now of our lives.

My son was born on Sept 20th. So, this evening, as I was finding myself longing for the presence of the Lord in a fresh way, I found myself turning to Sept 20th in Tozer's 366 Day Devotional on the Holy Spirit. This is what he had to say expounding upon James 1:27:

"The essence of true religion is spontaneity, the sovereign movings of the Holy Spirit upon and in the free Spirit of redeemed men. This has through the years been the hallmark of spiritual excellency, the evidence of reality in a world of unreality"

I must honestly say I have struggled to find the "balance" of a spirit-filled life in the Army while carrying out my military duties. My hope now is that I can run after the Lord, and as he continues to fill my heart and life to overflowing, that his presence will pour out of me and affect those I work with and minister to in positive and hopefully, life changing ways.

I believe that too often we don't expect God to move, except possibly in deployed environments in our military culture. My hearts cry is that we would begin to start to believe that God can and will meet Soldiers in our units, in the "here and now" of our time. That we would begin to pray for God's outpouring in Soldiers lives that are real and tangible. The issues Soldiers and their Families face are often only solved, I believe, by the presence of God in a person's life. As a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I can unashamedly proclaim this GOOD NEWS!

As an officer in the Army, I must of course never force this on anyone, nor would I, just as Jesus never forced his message on anyone. However, I still believe Christ is the answer, and that in our day of continuing, ongoing war, Families need healing like never before. My prayer is that many would come to know Christ in a new and profound way! That we would see an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon Soldiers and Families, in our homes and units.

This is my prayer, and I think this ministerial responsibility falls with Chaplains first and foremost. I pray we lead the way in this endeavour, in our personal time before the Lord, that Christ would indeed meet and encounter Soldiers and their Families in life changing ways.