Christ calls on us to do that which can only be described as supernatural. The dictionary says supernatural means "of, pertaining to, or being above or beyond what is natural; unexplainable by natural law or phenomena; abnormal." Oswald Chambers wrote "...the relationship which He demands is an impossible one unless He has done a supernatural work in us."1 Chambers said we can only be disciples of Jesus if we are made one, supernaturally and "as long as we have the deadset purpose of being disciples we may be sure we are not." Therefore the supernatural nature of Christ is put within us once we accept him as Lord of our lives. The manifestation of this supernatural blessing in human beings fascinates me because is it so contrary to our earthly understanding while its embodiment is so evident in how lives are changed.
I, like everyone else, was born sinful and self-centered. Until Christ entered my heart I lived my life making sure I got everything I wanted, desired and "deserved" regardless of the effect on others. If someone wronged me, it was only natural to make sure I wronged them back or somehow make their life miserable with a passive-aggressive form of payback. Why was I engaging in this payback? Because the conflict I was engaging in was solely human to human. The other human hurt me, and now, to feed my ego and sense of self-righteousness, I had no choice but to hurt him back, until I felt he paid for it. Of course the amount he had to pay was subjectively based on my mood and how much I liked or disliked him that day.
However what if I was wronged by a person and I decided only to forgive? What if I was at peace with that decision? What if I was wronged and I decided to help the other human paint his house - free of charge? I am certainly not trying to win the battle... right? My earthly sense would tell me I was admitting I was a loser or I was weak. Well what if I said that with these choices, I actually won the battle between the other person and myself? Confused?
Let's look at another example. Take a man who from age 12 was drawn to fill an appetite for pornography and/or drugs. They ruled his life for 30 years. He was doomed to die or end up in jail. His habit had wired his brain so deeply that kicking these addictions was considered impossible from all earthly viewpoints. He accepts Christ's invitation and the day eventually arrives that he no longer desires drugs or porn. Did someone do surgery on his brain to re-wire it? Well, in a sense, yes. But not someone of this earth.
The power of Christ upon taking ownership of a man's heart and mind cannot be explained in human terms. Why does a man who is addicted to drugs or alcohol or pornography lose his desire for them either immediately or over time? Why does a woman who was abused by her mother suddenly no longer feel anger toward her mother but seeks to introduce her to God? Why would a spouse who has not been treated well by or has been neglected by his husband/wife for years decide to rub his/her feet without asking? Why does a man whose history has consisted of using his fists to influence people become a person with whom you want to approach because you now feel safe? In a human sense, these are miracles of the human spirit. What in the world does that mean? Even humanists have to evoke the terms miracle and spirit - both non-physical entities - to describe these changes.
In each case I am sure that Christ's Holy Spirit has entered the heart of each situation I mentioned here. We have an invitation from God that we can accept or deny. We have been told by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount to do that which is supernatural. Do we choose to obey or to continue to seek our own way.
1. "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers.
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