“Spiritually speaking, it’s our quick-twitch reactions that make or break us at critical moments.””- Mark Batterson
As an ex-collegiate and high school basketball player, Mark Batterson knows it’s the quick-twitch muscles that enable you to dunk a basketball. On a spiritual level, you have quick-twitch reactions the split-second after someone offends you, insults you, or cuts you off in traffic. Most likely those reactions do not involve blessing the offender!
Reaction time also is important in response to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Mark states that “your reaction time is the time lapse between God’s command and your obedience. And it’s one of the best measures of spiritual maturity.”
In James 1:19, the apostle wrote, “Be quick to listen, slow to speak.” To be a quick study when it comes to the Word of God, Mark emphasizes you have to go slow. The longer you take to pray through or meditate on a passage, the longer-lasting effect the Word will have on you. And the quicker your reaction time will be to the Holy Spirit’s promptings.
Mark concludes Chapter 8 of If by dissecting five meanings of the word quicken. The word quicken means:
a. to catalyze– the Author of Scripture is alive and well. Hebrews 4:12 says the Word is living and active. Mark explains that “when the living Word is catalyzed by faith, a supernatural reaction takes place that forgives sin, relieves fear, inspires ideas, and births dreams.”
b. to sustain life– think life support
c. to bring back to life– think defibrillation
d. to conceive– Mark believes this meaning is perhaps the most powerful, for “when the Word of God is conceived in you through the quickening of the Holy Spirit . . . it changes your deepest desires, eradicates your worst fears, and fulfills your wildest dreams.”
Today’s question: Which meaning of quicken resonates most with you? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Steadfast anchor”
