Signs of Life: Respiration and Sensitivity
In my last post, I began a series on the topic of “The Seven Signs of Life.” I noted that notwithstanding the amazing diversity among the millions of living species, both plants and animals have these seven characteristics in common.
Movement: a shift in position or focus typically as a response to stimuli.
Respiration: the taking in of oxygen which results in a release of energy.
Sensitivity: the realization and response to environmental change.
Growth: an increase in size and maturity.
Reproduction: the passing on of the characteristics of an organism to the next generation.
Excretion: the elimination of excess or toxic material.
Nutrition: the taking in of nutrients which allows for health and growth.
With the Church being known as “the body of Christ,” it is more of an organism than an organization. And we are individually a part of that organism.
That being the case, these seven signs of life can provide a useful diagnostic tool for assessing the spiritual health of both the body at large and its individual parts.
Last week we considered MOVEMENT and whether both you as an individual and your church have recently implemented any methods or strategies towards maturity.
Today we’re going to address RESPIRATION AND SENSITIVITY.
RESPIRATION
RESPIRATION is not synonymous with breathing. Rather, breathing creates respiration. Every cell in your body has something called mitochondrion which releases energy. This is respiration.
However, mitochondrion depends upon oxygen which is brought into your body through breathing. So, breathing is necessary for respiration and the respiration process is essential for energy.
A man named Ole Hallesby says that prayer is to the soul what breathing is to the body. Prayer is the breath of God filling us resulting in spiritual energy.
So, here’s the question: what is the state of your spiritual respiration? Are you regularly inhaling God’s Spirit so that you can exhale God’s will?
On a scale of 1-10, 1 being little to no spiritual breathing through prayer and 10 being significant spiritual breathing, how would you rate yourself (No 5’s allowed). And how would you rate the prayer life of your church?
What steps could you take to facilitate spiritual respiration in your body and in the Body?
SENSITIVITY
Then there’s SENSITIVITY. Sensitivity is vitally important to the life of any organism. In plants, it might be a sensitivity to light or to heat or to water which prompts a reaction.
In humans, there are actually five senses – sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste – which trigger a response.
However, for the believer, there’s another sort of sensitivity. Call it sensitivity to the Spirit. A growing disciple increasingly reacts to what I call their “spiritual antenna.”
That antenna can serve in multiple ways. It can sense a “prompt” or “leading” of the Spirit. It can discern error or danger. It can result in conviction regarding sin. It can sniff out unseen needs that ought to be addressed.
To be sure, this antenna will never go against Scripture and will often be activated by Scripture. However, it can also go beyond Scripture, offering insight, guidance, or warning.
So how are you doing in the development of your sensitivity to the Spirit? Through your time in the Word and by lingering in the presence of the Lord, are you growing in this sign of life?
Rate yourself on a scale of 1-10, with 1 having little to no sensitivity and 10 being quite spiritually sensitive (No 5’s allowed.) And how might you place yourself in a position whereby you grow in this?
Moreover, how is your church doing with this? Is room made for the Spirit to break in with a timely word or an important warning? Rate your church from 1-10.
Respiration and sensitivity are two vitally important signs of life – in individuals and in churches. I encourage you to monitor them regularly.
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