Daily devotional, January 16, 2023 The Big Bubble
"You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance."
Psalm 32:7
One outdoor activity that young kids never tire of is blowing bubbles. Whether it is through a bubble wand, a bubble gun, or even through DIY bubble makers, watching those round things float about in the air is just fun. In some kiddie parties, there are clowns who can put young kids (and even adults) inside life-sized bubbles! It is fun to be inside until the whole thing pops and your skin and clothes get a bit damp.
As Christians who are living our faith, we can imagine ourselves as protected by an invisible bubble that helps us discern what is right and wrong. It is not a protection against unfortunate occurrences common to man, but it is a shield that keeps us from experiencing the consequences of sin.
"You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness."
Romans 8:9-10
When we abide by the Holy Spirit, we tend to veer away from sins that have grave consequences. Sometimes, people living in sin think they are being punished by God, but on the contrary, divine punishment has yet to come. What they are experiencing is just a natural result of their wrongdoing.
For instance, stealing is a crime, and the incarceration it brings is the natural result. Jail time is not God’s punishment, but the judgment that will later come for thieves who do not repent will be the eternal consequence of such an action. When we are living in the light, as opposed to living in the darkness of sin, we will not commit acts like stealing.
When we are no longer under the protection of the Holy Spirit, we tend to get distressed. This was demonstrated in the Old Testament through the story of King Saul. In the latter part of his reign, the Lord allowed Saul to mentally suffer after he continued to disobey God.
"Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him."
1 Samuel 16:14
Biblical scholars explain, the distressing spirit got to the King because sin has removed the protection that the Holy Spirit provides to Saul. Since he no longer abides, He is no longer living in the spirit. When the Holy Spirit left the King, the evil one took the opportunity to fill the void and caused Saul’s mental distress. At that time, worship music had been the key to the King’s wellness, which scholars surmise as refocusing on the Lord.
"And Saul's servants said to him, 'Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you. Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre, and when the harmful spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well.'" 1 Samuel 16:15-16
King Saul’s story is not something that our generation cannot relate to. How many people do we know experience mental and spiritual trouble due to waywardness and sinful lifestyle? Could they have avoided these? Yes. But did they choose to avoid it by focusing on God? No.
If you or a loved one is experiencing spiritual bankruptcy — that unexplainable level of loneliness, emptiness, hopeliness, and anxiety, then know that you are not beyond repentance. While hormonal imbalances and other physiological problems can cause depression and other mental illnesses, spiritual trouble could also be the root of the mental anguish wayward people are experiencing.
Repentance is the solution. In Isaiah’s prophecy about Jesus Christ, he described the Messiah as follows:
"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;" Isaiah 61:1
The above passage does not refer to the literal sense of the words “poor and imprisoned.” Instead it pertains to those who are spiritually afflicted: the soul is bankrupt and broken, captive to sin and self-destruction, and imprisoned in waywardness.
Going back to the Lord, and surrendering everything to Him is the key to getting once again that bubble of protection against sinfulness and its physical, mental, emotional and spiritual consequences. King David’s Psalm 51 is an apt prayer for the spiritually broken:
"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a rightspirit within me.Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit."
Psalm 51:10-12
And while true repentance will not automatically delete the troubles and the problematic repercussions of our sins, the Lord’s presence in your life will help you endure all these. Enduring the consequences of a sin you have turned your back from will also aid you in your sanctification process.
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on 1 Samuel 16:14-23 and Psalm 51 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: Are you inside the spiritual protection of the Holy Spirit?
Conversation with the Lord: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to protect me from the self-inflicted troubles I may choose to make. I praise and thank you for giving me this opportunity to abide in you, and I hope that I can live in your presence all my life. Amen.