Daily Meditations for Difficult Times [23] Oil for Life

When the (very) Unlikely becomes the new Reality

Someone said to me the other day, "If you had told the nation five weeks ago about a lockdown, people wearing face masks, supermarket queues, people avoiding each other in the street and government ministers sick in hospital, no-one would have believed you!"

I think he was right. 

Especially in adulthood, unless we have experienced or witnessed something for ourselves, we all too easily dismiss it. It's called pride when the prediction is truthful, and wisdom when the prediction is without any foundation in fact.

What is true in the secular realm is also true in the spiritual one. 

One reason men and women do not respond to the Gospel is because they are skeptical of the stories of radical change they hear about in converts, whether friends or family members. They observe perhaps some outward changes, but do not believe the stories of new inward power, new inner peace and new abounding hope.

This revolutionary life-change and heart-change is brought about by the Holy Spirit, whose influence in Scripture is sometimes likened to oil. Psalm 23:5 reads, "You anoint my head with oil."

The still waters of verse 2 and the oil of verse 5 both point to the Holy Spirit's work in the life and heart of a believer.

When David Became King

When David was just a lad, the prophet Samuel was sent to his village, Bethlehem, and anointed him with oil. Oil poured on the head was used in Scripture to appoint men to offices (Exodus 30, Leviticus 8), whether priest, prophet or king.

There in Bethlehem, young David was being appointed-anointed as king of Israel. Being anointed with oil poured from above, symbolised a calling from God above, mediated through a human instrument (in the case of David it was the prophet Samuel).

We must bear in mind that the Old Testament word Messiah, which is the same as the New Testament Christ means quite literally "anointed with oil one." The coming Messiah would be someone who was fully appointed and anointed by God to accomplish God's saving plan. Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor…” (Luke 4:18). The apostles said, "You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power …” (Acts 10:38)

Oil then, could symbolize someone being appointed by God to accomplish a particular purpose, and it could also be used as a more general symbol for the Holy Spirit's power.  These two symbols naturally combine for no-one can accomplish God's Purpose for their lives unless they have also been endued with God's Power.

So, for example, after David had been anointed with oil as the new king, we most naturally, read: “the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward.” (1 Sam 16:13)  We can't do God's work without God's power!

Oil could also be used as a beautiful refreshing "welcome to my house" gesture along with washing of feet. After a long dusty journey, we can imagine a sensitive and loving host washing your feet and then anointing you with some fragrant oil. Oil was our perfume, its sweet fragrance filled the room and brought joy to everyone. On one occasion, Jesus chided his host for not pouring oil on his head, "You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet." (Luke 7) Oil was refreshing.

Oil could also be used as a symbol of healing power, "They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them." (Mark 6, also James 5). 

And of course, oil was a symbol of unity among God's people, "How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head..." (Psalm 133) How life- giving church life is when brothers and sisters love one another, are united under Christ and are submissive to the leadership that God's very Spirit has appointed (Acts 20).

In summary, oil is a symbol of God's power, blessing and grace coming upon and flowing through his people, God's Spirit supernaturally at work in our lives. 

When David writes "You anoint my head with oil" he was describing not only his own past experience under the prophet Samuel, but also the experience of every sheep, of every true child of God. 

We have all been anointed with the Holy Spirit, "As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him." (1 John 2:27) John isn't suggesting that Christians don't need teachers, he was opposing false teachers who thought that they alone had an "anointing." Every believer has the Holy Spirit.

Let's notice two simple things today. The first is this:

God does the Anointing

"He anoints my head with oil." Who? The Lord, who is my Shepherd.

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ. Jesus told his disciples that though he was going to leave them he would send  a Comforter, the Holy Spirit, who would lead them into all truth. Both He and the Father would send the Spirit (John 14:16, 15:26, 16:7).

The Holy Spirit can't be bought, as Simon the sorcerer hoped (Acts 8), the Holy Spirit must be given by God, freely as a gift.

How then do we receive the free gift of the Spirit?

We receive it for the first time when we turn to Jesus Christ. "Repent and be baptised every one of you... and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38) This believing and repenting itself is a fruit of the primary work of God's Spirit in our hearts. We call it regeneration or the new birth. God, through the Gospel, through the power of his Word, perform a miracle in us, he changes our hearts, makes us new, imparts faith and stimulates humble turn-around repentance.

The Holy Spirit is given to us for the first time, through the Gospel, the Word of God. We hear the Gospel preached, read it for ourselves, or have it explained by a friend and the Spirit of God uses the Word he powerfully first inspired to bring about inner spiritual reformation and renewal. "For you have been born again.... through the living and enduring word of God." (1 Peter 1:23)

Men and women are not born again by watching our changed lives, they are not born again by us doing them good works - as important as both of those are - they are born again when they simply hear the powerful Gospel: it's God chosen way!

May we in these days be encouraged and empowered to share the Gospel with our friends and neighbours!

Then, once we have been born again, is that it?

Is there no further anointing of our heads with oil? Christians differ here. Our good pentecostal and charismatic friends talk about a single second experience after conversion called "the baptism of the Spirit" evidenced some say, by speaking in tongues. This secondary experience is what launches a Christian into the spiritual stratosphere, or so they say.

Other conservative and reformed Christians believe that the moment you believe you have the Spirit in all his fulness, "...if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ." (Romans 8:9) And then, they teach,  you should endeavour to be filled with the Spirit, not just once again, but continually and endlessly (Ephesians 5:18).

All true believers, in spite of minor differences believe that the Holy Spirit is absolutely vital for every aspect of our Christian life, which is the second point we note.

God's Spirit is Essential

We need our heads to be anointed with oil every day.

Whether charismatic/pentecostal or conservative we all agree that without the Spirit of Christ we can do nothing. We all want, I trust, much more of the Spirit's power surging through our lives.

Instead of arguing about where we disagree, we should focus on where we are in accord. Jesus said that in John 15, "apart from me you can do nothing."

My shepherd friend MacMillan, if I may call him back for a moment, says that sheep are often anointed with medicinal oils, to prevent pests and to heal conditions. Anointing sheep with oil is an essential part of a shepherd's work - and a regular one too.

If we remain in the Vine, drawing in the Holy Spirit's sap, we will "bear much fruit" and if we ask "whatever you wish and it will be given." (John 15).

Jesus encouraged us to pray for the Holy Spirit, "If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him." (Luke 11)

Paul encourages us to "live by the Spirit" and "keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5)

Summing it all Up

Are you feeling overwhelmed today? Or empty today? With the burdens of the day, with illness, with exhaustion, with some situation that has arisen directly out of the present pandemic? You do not know how you can cope, or how you can go on any further.

It is all too easy to lose sight of the Holy Spirit - and hence too easy to forget to ask for a renewed infusion and filling of the Comforter.

Is his Power or Joy a missing Jewel in your present walk?

I don't mean He is not at work in you - not at all. You and I could not live the Christian life for a nanosecond without his power. He is always there, comforting, guiding, counselling. He is God's first installment of heaven, a foretaste of the world to come.

But we can also ask God for a renewing, refreshing and refueling of his gracious Spirit for the present hour.

A SONG FOR THE DAY
Someone in our church  - and this sort of thing is happening all the time, praise God! - suggested this song to one of our WhatsApp groups. I pass it on, because it may be just the words you need to hear - and sing? - today.

Are you thirsty
Are you empty
Come and drink these living waters
Tired and broken
Peace unspoken
Rest beside these living waters

Christ is calling
Find refreshing
At the cross of living waters
Lay your life down
All the old gone
Rise up in these living waters

Chorus:
There’s a river that flows
With mercy and love
Bringing joy to the city of our God
There our hope is secure
Do not fear anymore
Praise the Lord of living waters

Spirit moving
Mercy washing
Healing in these living waters
Lead your children
To the shore line
Life is in these living waters

Are you thirsty
Are you empty
Come and drink these living waters
Love, forgiveness
Vast and boundless
Christ, He is our living waters

Kristyn Getty & Ed Cash

You can hear it HERE.

A PRAYER FOR THE DAY

Our loving Father in heaven,

We thank you for many many answered prayers. 

We thank you for sending your Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. 

We remember with humble penitence that he was given, not selfishly for our own personal blessing alone, but so that we might become powerful witnesses of the risen Christ to the ends of the earth!

In this season of both sorrow and great Gospel opportunity, help us to share the Good News of hope beyond Coronavirus and hope beyond the grave, far and wide!

Teach us to rely on your Spirit's power for everything. For comfort, for service, for strength, for wisdom, for the fruit that makes our characters Christ-like.

And may He, who was given to reveal Christ to us, teach us more of our Saviour and his vast and unending love for us and for this whole wide Gospel-needy world.

We ask these things in Jesus' Name, 

Amen.