“How generous, forgiving, and tender is this patient Spirit of God.
He is good operatively. All His works are good in the most eminent degree: He suggests good thoughts, prompts good actions, reveals good truths, applies good promises, assists in good attainments, and leads to good results. There is no spiritual good in all the world of which He is not the Author and Sustainer, and heaven itself will owe the perfect character of its redeemed inhabitants to His work.
He is good officially; whether as Comforter, Instructor, Guide, Sanctifier, Quickener, or Intercessor, He fulfils His office well, and each work is fraught with the highest good to the church of God. They who yield to His influences become good, they who obey His impulses do good, they who live under His power receive good. Let us then act towards so good a person according to the dictates of gratitude.
Let us revere His person, and adore Him as God over all, blessed for ever; let us own His power, and our need of Him by waiting upon Him in all our holy enterprises; let us hourly seek His aid, and never grieve Him; and let us speak to his praise whenever occasion occurs. The church will never prosper until more reverently it believes in the Holy Ghost. He is so good and kind, that it is sad indeed that he should be grieved by slights and negligences.”
Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892) in Morning and Evening Devotions reading for the morning of February 16.
The Spirit of God is not impractical, uninterested, and disconnected. Quite the opposite! In Spurgeon’s words, the Spirit of God is good both operatively and officially!
As we combine prayer with our handling of money and ask the Holy Spirit to work in our lives, don’t surprised if the Spirit operatively prompts you to specific thoughts and actions. Or if the Spirit sweetly (and officially) reminds you of God’s precious truths and promises so that your heart turns toward mercy instead of judgment, grace rather than harshness, and generosity rather than greed.
God, transform us into people whose lives reflect Your goodness, who unceasingly seek Your aid, and who rely on and believe in the power of Your Holy Spirit to show the world Your love. Do this I pray in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus. Amen.