The Supernatural

Perhaps one of the touchiest subjects within the body of believers today is the one about the supernatural.  Just where do we draw the line.  We teach our kids not to be scared of monsters and ghosts saying that they do not exist.  We may brush off a sci-fi film or horror film with the simple excuse that they are effects created in the studios of Hollywood.  But the question when put to a true follower of Christ, is not such a simple one.

Most of us would not care to lose time on considering for ourselves just what we believe or just dismiss the concept altogether as a non-important issue.  However, it is too great and too vital to our eternal health to overlook or neglect.

As Christians, we profess to believe in the supernatural.  We believe, or at least say that we do, that a Man came from another place, performed magical acts, then entered into the realm of death and returned to the living again.  This extraordinary being we also claim to believe is still alive today and has the power and capability to live for all eternity.

There is so much more we could claim to believe about the Godhead and the heavenly realm, if we would call ourselves Christians, but we will save that for another time and concentrate on the believing or not believing.

I say we ¨claim¨ to believe in these things, because if we are honest to ourselves I think we would see that most of the time our sentiments are only word deep.  It is easy to say that we believe in the supernatural qualities of God and of Jesus Christ, but because it is speaking of an area outside of our experience and sight, we daily choose not to consider it too much or look too deep into.  We try to call it faith, when we see this deep water and shy away from searching the depths.  It is a scary subject and so we leave it alone and say too simply, that we believe in God.  Then we wash our hands and turn away to things that interest us more or scare us less.

Don´t you think that if we love Jesus and care at all about God, which we should not shy away from the more scary implications of our belief?  Perhaps it could be a very endearing part of our walk with our Savior to say, ¨this much I can see and all that I believe of You¨.  What we mean in this case is that we give Him all the credit for His possessing of and power over the supernatural.  If we fail to consciously attribute and celebrate His supernatural qualities, then we are guilty of trying to rob Him of those.  This is a crime I do not think any of us would be willing to commit knowingly. Yet, I am afraid that we do just that, each and every one of us and we do it daily.

When we try to safeguard our child and we tell him there is no ghost in his closet and that they don´t exist, even though our intentions are good, we should be careful of the implications of what is happening within our own hearts.  Perhaps we should waste less time dwelling on the negative and return our attention to the apple of our eye.  Within our limited capabilities set upon the human race in time and space, we do not possess all the tools or faculties for discerning the ramifications of the supernatural nor spiritual world.

As we have said, we should believe that the other realm or other world exists through the power and wisdom of God.  We do not have to concern ourselves with how much of that other existence we know or are familiar with.  God will not punish us for not seeing something that is outside of our capabilities.  But He will hold us accountable for whether or not we actually take Him for His word and believe that the things He has said about Himself and His Kingdom are true and do in fact exist.  We should also see that we not meant to brush off the subject but rather celebrate it because it is the foundation of our faith.

Christians should be the first to say they believe in the supernatural.  Their whole view or the present world and reality where we live, is given purpose and direction because of their dependence upon and dedication to that Other Existence.

Never should we shy away from issues of spirits, ghosts or magic.  It is true that the show of magic that uses trickery with items fabricated, we do not consider here.  But black-magic, sorcery and such, do enter into this overall view we are touching upon.  However, they are far more limited as they draw their power from a lesser spiritual being and correct adjustment to Jesus Christ can and does triumph over them.

Therefore, let the believing people stand up with confidence and set their trust beyond the skies.  Let you and I settle for ourselves just where we stand about the supernatural.  It is not giving weight to discussions about superheroes or Ghostbusters, but about who and what you have put your faith on.

We should rest on the character of God the Father and the Son.  Make no excuses for the implications of what had to happen to make the stories from the Bible or from church history come to pass.  Let us not be afraid to say what our hopes for the future generations are and rest of eternity.  We look away from our tiny frames of mind and limited experience and gaze directly into that great cloud which hides the face of the one who shines brighter than the sun.

Hold up your faith to the One who set that inside of you.  Lift up your understanding and place it in the care of the One who does see and can take you through the baby-steps of learning.  He is worthy and He is powerful.  In fact, He IS supernatural in the only true form of the word.  May we begin to celebrate the fact, like others who have gone before us.  It is a beautiful thing to place your hope in one who stands above the limitations of the physical world where we live and the mental capabilities that we shape through study or experience.

God is infinitely bigger.  He is infinitely more wonderful and more powerful.  He is completely worthy of our trust and it is correct for us to allow Him the attributes He has claimed as His.

Pray with me today that we begin to lift our hearts above the low level of capabilities we have placed upon the God we profess and the God we serve.  Let us make an effort today to make our mouths and hearts both bow before the Supernatural God and celebrate Him in all His unfathomable beauty and power.

Amen

Scott W