Borrowed Breath

We’ve been watching the first season of Heroes.  Our favorite character is the young Japanese man by the name of Hiro.  He is so excited to be a hero.  His lines of the script are chock-full of passionate statements with plenty of “Whoo-hoo’s!” thrown in to emphasize his enthusiasm.  He is a hero.  He knows it.  And he wants to use it. 

O that I were half as excited to be a carrier of the gospel of peace, of redemption, of divine love personified in Jesus Christ of Nazareth. 

I believe it is in chapter 8 where he tries to bend time (which is one of his powers) to go back one day to save a girl’s life.  He ends up going back six months and discovers some things about trying to change the past.  But before he leaves, his friend Ando is attempting to dissuade him from going back.  And Hiro says this about his powers, “If I am afraid to use them, then I don’t deserve them.” 

Again, a pretty powerful parallel to my position as a Jesus-follower.  Do I really believe that the Spirit of the living God indwells me?  Do I ask every morning for Him to fill me and force out the sin and lust and prejudice and hate and selfishness and pride that comes from me?  I have the Holy Spirit of Almighty God dwelling within me.  And I’m afraid to use Him.  I’m weirded out by what that means or what that may look like when I let Him truly control my life.  I long to be truly sold out for His glory alone.  But I’m afraid to let go of the wheel. 

I don’t deserve Him.  But grace wins and He remains, faithfully interceding for me with prayers that I can’t even express.

Praise be to our God for His unspeakably wonderful gift.
Lord have mercy on me a sinner.