Everyone is busy.
There are so many things vying for our attention and our precious time. Work, commutes, friends, family, cleaning, workouts, kids' activities... But engaging with God is different. Showing up for a group or a Bible study or a mission opportunity is vasty different than just showing up for a work meeting or to a kids’ sporting event. The things of God have a different character than the things of the world. They are fundamentally different; the activities of God are composed of and directed at altering the spiritual. So faith-activities will affect you differently than secular pursuits. Though both use time, faith-activities will fill you up. They will restore your soul. They will encourage you in the spiritual … while nothing in our society is capable of doing that kind of work - it can only deplete. So the next time you are offered an hour long Bible study or serving opportunity or worship service, don't think of it like you think of secular stuff ... think of it as the opposite. God's work us turning our attention to Him can feed us spiritually and impact our lives in immeasurably positive ways, growing us in Peace... Joy... Less fear... Love... Wisdom... Discernment... Hope. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation. 1 Peter 2:2 We have been misled.
We are doing our best to live our life at a high level. We are doing adult things. We work. We work out. We eat well enough. We earn money and make purchases and pay debts. We try to create memories with our family and friends. But inside something is just wilting, unfed, wasting. The problem is simple. As Walter Miller wrote, "You don’t have a soul,... you are a soul. You have a body, temporarily.” As souls, we are only really in our element in matters spiritual. Spiritual stuff has an entire different character, a different make-up. It is rich and transcendent and fulfilling. It is all about God first and foremost. Day after day, year after year, we are wearing ourselves into nothingness running in the wrong direction, aiming at the wrong target. We are missing the mark. And that, is the definition of sin. (Sin - Greek - hamartia - from archery - meaning to miss the target) Our souls can no more care about our acquisitions and secular lives than my dog can care about the stock market. So give yourself a break from chasing the wrong rabbit. Reroute your life by placing your passion in its rightful place - the Lord. "...So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. " - Jesus in Matthew 6:31-33 |
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April 2019
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