ABOVE ALL - NOTHING ELSE MATTERS
THE INCOMPARABLE GIFT OF GOD’S PRESENCE
“In repentance and rest is your salvation; in quietness and trust is your strength” Isaiah 30:15
I have been so blessed by this verse and it has meant so much at different times in my life, but always brings me back to realizing that no matter what my life looks like, feels like, what all is going on, how busy, how stressful, filled with all kinds of things, finances, parenting, training, loving, forgiving, leading, etc, etc, etc, there’s nothing, absolutely nothing that compares to the beautiful gift of being in His presence in a beautiful and intimate connection, even if for just a few minutes.
This morning I had lots of things going through my mind and the last few weeks have also been quite different due to the fact that in a matter of very little time we found ourselves buying a new house and making arrangements to move and close on our mortgage loan and all that fun stuff.
And the craziness that those events bring to our lives and the adjustments and the details can make someone go crazy, and lose focus, or get all turn around!!!
And i have felt that way for sure. Not only does someone have to deal with the personal, everyday, regular life events with your own family things, like moving and teaching and parenting and attitudes and teenagers and little babies, schedules, practices, games, homework, and all that jazz. But then people have jobs, whether it’d be a teacher, a construction worker, contractor, pilot, doctor, banker, restaurant owner, pastor, etc. You have mortgages, loans, bills, expenses, car problems, etc.
And it all is legitimate life things. We cannot avoid them. We cannot forsake them per se. We cannot hide from them or wait for someone else to take care of them.
IT IS JUST LIFE!
So, how can we expect to have time to reflect, to meditate, to slow down, to think about and to allow God to make himself known to us? How can we develop a sweet, close, intimate and meaningful relationship with the creator of our souls who so desperately desires us and pursues us? How can we, in the midst of what we know as LIFE, experience this “abundant life” and “intimacy” that he calls us into and offers and promises?
As crazy as you think this might sound, i know and believe that it is possible to experience this everyday. It is not always easy, and to be honest, sometimes it escapes me and i get caught up in the busyness of life and miss the beauty of these “windows of opportunity” that are available to me everyday.
But His word encourages us to stop, to slow down, to pause, to make time to allow God to help us become AWARE of His sweet love and presence. And it doesn’t have to be this mystical experience or “weird” out of this world instance. Rather, it is a practice that can become a habit as we learn to tune our hearts with the melody, the song, the tune being played everyday in the little details.
The practice i am talking about is the practice of believing and choosing to see everything though the lens of God’s word and His creation as it speaks to us in the very small things of life.
Training our hearts to lift our eyes to heaven in quietness and to let His all encompassing glory to surround us and embrace us as we take that little time.
Yes, life keeps going. Life is knocking at our door, banging on the doors of our hearts for our attention. All the things we talked about before. And they’re all necessary. But guess what? They are not the things that give us life. And they’ll always be there. They’re not going away. They demand our attention. They demand our all. But they have absolutely no power to fill us, to fulfill us, to give us life, joy and love and peace. They only take from us. And if we’re constantly being drained by these things, where are we being filled up or what are we filling our hearts and minds and souls with? Where is our source?
Yes, we need to work to make money to provide for our families. Yes, we need to work in order to see things happen. Yes, we need to drive here and there to bring our kids to their activities. Yes, we need to take care of al these things.
But there’s one that knows all these things, and that we need all these things. He said it in his word…”i know you need all these things, but seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, and all these other things will be added and given to you…”
But we need to believe this. We need to trust. We need to embrace the truth of His all-sufficient provision for us, our families and our well being. We need to believe that if we take the time to be with him, to pause, to stop, to meditate, to be in His presence, that it is NOT WASTED TIME. That He will take that time and multiply the supply to our every need according to HIS RICHES IN GLORY.
What awesome promises he gives us. But for the love of donuts, will we finally be brave and courageous enough to believe him and live them out???
Nothing like His presence. That’s the ONLY PLACE WHERE WE CAN BE COMPLETE!!!
He told Martha…”Martha, Martha, you are worried about al these things, but only one thing is necessary, and Mary has chosen the right thing…”
TO BE IN HIS PRESENCE. Let’s take the time today to be with Him, even if it is just a little “window” of time. It will be special. And once you taste and see that the Lord is good, I pray you will get hooked and addicted to the experience.
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