READ 1 Corinthians 2:9–13
But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him”—these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God’s except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. And we speak of these things in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual.
MEDITATE
I’ve always had the impression that the Holy Spirit is about experience. “Did you experience so much for nothing?—if really it was for nothing,” Paul asks. “Well then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?” (Galatians 3:4–5). Spirit and miracles seem to go hand in hand in the Christian life; miracles are experience with a capital E.
If you observe self-described “Spirit-filled” Christians around the globe, you’ll see lots of very noticeable “evidences” of their Spirit experiences. Sometimes they are writhing on the floor, sliding off chairs in belly laughter, speaking in tongues, or claiming extraordinary miracles of healing. You may want to keep your distance from such experiences, but then you probably have to admit, whether you think they are authentic or not, these people are experiencing something, something big, something overwhelming.
In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul reinforces the notion that the Spirit inspires experience: “My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:4–5).
Spirit and power. Sounds like experience to me.
Frankly, this association of the Spirit with power leaves me out in the cold. I tend to experience small miracles—in many ways increasingly smaller miracles. The older I become, the more I realize that each breath is a miracle, each beat of my aging heart a wonder, each step a sign of God’s benevolence. But the really big miracles? The spectacular ones? Nope. Not my experience.
So, should I give up?
Of course not—because “God has revealed to us through the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:10) the message of the crucifixion of Jesus. The primary lesson of 1 Corinthians 2, which is full of the language of the Spirit, is that the content of Paul’s message—and not just the bearing of a preacher or miraculous activities—consists of crucifixion: “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (2:2).
It is the message of the cross that lies at the heart of God, where the Spirit searches (1 Corinthians 2:11). It is the message of the cross where truest wisdom flourishes (2:13).
For this reason, Paul portrays the Spirit as a revealer of wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:10–11), a teacher (2:12–13), and an interpreter (2:13), who has intimate access to God’s deepest being. The rulers and rhetoricians of this age can’t grasp that God’s power is palpable in the weakness of the cross. We who believe, in contrast, receive, learn, and understand the core message of the cross from the Spirit, who reveals, teaches, and interprets the message to us.
This isn’t an easy lesson to master. It dawned slowly even upon Paul—Spirit-filled and tongues-speaking and miracle-working Paul—who three times prayed for relief from something in his flesh, and who heard God say, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
I’ve yet to make this teaching my own. I don’t see God’s power in the headaches I’ve had since I was thirty or the backaches I’ve had since I was forty or the heart arrhythmia I’ve had off and on since I was fifty. No. I don’t want grace; I want healing. I don’t want weakness; I want strength. I want power that looks, well, like power.
I take heart that it took the apostle Paul, too, so long to learn the lesson of power made perfect in weakness. He began to understand this way of the cross, not as an enthusiastic newcomer to the faith, but as an experienced believer, who learned to say—as we can as well—through God’s repeated denial of his request, “So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
REFLECT
PRAY
Holy Spirit
I know they’re not baubles, bangles, and beads
not just sparklers on a summer night
not bright and beautiful window displays that draw my eyes
Miracles are more than that: the power of God healing, binding, freeing
Still, given the choice
I’d choose the miracles
healings
flashes of ecstasy
prophetic words
I’d opt for works of power right in front of my eyes
I’d gawk at signs and wonders
But one miracle matters
one wonder counts
one sign signifies life
Draw me to power made perfect in weakness
to the energy of grace
to the miracle of self-giving
To Jesus, the crucified one
Amen
