During the early stages of World War II, the United States Coast Guard vessel, Icarus, was tasked with patrolling the East Coast of America.  On May 9, 1942, the Icarus detected and sank German submarine, U-352, off the coast of Cape Lookout, North Carolina.  Icarus then rescued and detained thirty-three crew members, including its captain, from the sinking U-boat.  These were the first German prisoners taken during World War II by any branch of the United States military services.  (Pause for Thought:  “However, as it is written: ‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived’—the things God has prepared for those who love Him—these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.  The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.”—I Corinthians 2:9-10  Have you ever come into new information or knowledge about someone of something that caused you to have a greater respect, affection, and/or appreciation of that someone or something?  How did you behave after gaining this knowledge? )

 

The United States Coast Guard (USGC) is often called the “Forgotten Service” because many people do not recognize it for being part of the United States military services.  In fact, I now see it listed as the sixth military service, AFTER the recently established United States Space Force.  I just found out about the Icarus while my son and I were watching one of his WWII documentaries he received for Christmas.  I would probably have slept right past the exploit of the Icarus were it not for the fact my son wants to join the USGC someday, and he woke me with a, “You got Coast Guarded son!” during the Icarus snippet.  I’ve become extremely sensitive to USGC headlines because of my son’s passion for their service.  I think this is how it is with our recognition of the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity.  We remember and pursue God the Father and Jesus the Son, but we forget the Person who makes all of us one, and we can only truly appreciate the Holy Spirit when we are passionate about the Father and the Son.  (Pause for Thought:  “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.  He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.  He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.  All that belongs to the Father is mine.  That is why I said the Spirit will receive what he will make known to you.”—John 16:13-15  How does knowing the truth unite people?  How have you been pursuing truth?  How at peace is your soul with the Holy Spirit and with other people?)

 

I find all this a little ironic, and at times, confusing.  To love the Spirit, I have to love God and Jesus more and more. And to love God and Jesus more and more, I have to love the Spirit.  The irony and confusion frustrate me only when I compartmentalize the Trinity.  He is the Three in One.  Every person of the Trinity is a servant to me.  He is my one and same truth, need, and desire.  Like the USGC is part of the US Homeland Security Department in peace, it is also part of the US Navy during wartime, but it never stops being the United States Coast Guard with its intent to serve the United States of America.  The Holy Spirit is like Paul declares in the New Testament…He’s a gift of a gift…grace upon grace…to us with the intent of serving Heaven on our behalf.  (Pause for Thought:  “For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them?  In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.  What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.  The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, ‘Who has the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.”—I Corinthians 2:11-12,15  How does it make you feel knowing you could, and probably should, have the mind of Christ?  How much do you know about Jesus’ thoughts and feelings regarding this existence and eternal life?  Is there someone you know who pursues and has the mind of Christ by the gift of His Spirit?  Will you talk with this person this week, and if so, what will you choose, or remember, to talk about?)