On one of the Two Foundations, Jesus said:
“I will show you what someone is like who comes to
me, hears my words, and acts on them...”
— Luke 6:47 (NRSV)
Certain portals in life we come to
rely on. They give us strength and a song. From there we go out into our lives
and live peaceably enough with ourselves to do what we need to do. We have
enough for the day, or at least for the hour.
These portals are not necessarily
the Source of our
spirituality—for instance, faith in Jesus Christ. They are instead where we go,
by location or rationale or circumstance, to receive the moment’s strength.
The state of being, or having
been, strengthened within, is the spiritual solidarity that only we, as
individual persons, can define for ourselves.
A Study of Spiritual Solidarity
It would be no good if we were to
be strengthened within via a dodgy portal resonating from an untrue source.
That could only prove unsustainable.
There are many examples of things we
place our trust in that provide little or no strength at all. They might appear
to strengthen us within, but really they weaken us—take, for instance, food or
other substances, a reliance on others for our happiness, our work status or
achievements, or our health, wealth or good looks. None of these may be relied
upon, though we still ought to be thankful for them.
Precious few things provide
spiritual solidarity—the inner strength within we need.
The ones that do, however, have
the value of gold and beyond. Their worth is incalculable. Many people who
detect the spiritual gap within search their whole lives and may still not find
it. Spiritual solidarity may only be found at alignment with our feet as they
plant on the welcome mat of truth.
Truth can be seen as a fascinating
quality: it’s true over the process of time and in general terms with
everybody. It’s consistently found true. It will ensure our spirituality has
solidarity about it. Otherwise, there is no strength.
Truth and Foundations
Until now we’ve dealt with
precious little regarding foundations—the cornerstone of life. Spiritual
solidarity, and the fact of being strengthened within, both intimate and
elucidate the fact—foundations ‘found’ our sound spiritual standing, but only
in truth.
Jesus outlines the plainest truth
about the two foundations: if we hear well, and we obey what we hear by doing
it, we stand to be strengthened within. We will have spiritual solidarity as in
a building with its own foundational solidarity.
Being strengthened within is our
daily, hour by hour, objective. From here we go out into our world. We can
serve God commensurate only with the strength that the Lord gives. That
strength’s only currency is truth and we have strength simply for one day at a
time.
***
Being strengthened within is power
for life. If we hear Jesus well, and we obey what we hear by doing it, we will
be strengthened within—a sure foundation, by the Holy Spirit. There is no
better reality for the spiritual life and no better blessing.
© 2013 S. J. Wickham.
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