At the ready

How eager are you for the warm weather of summer? How much do you look forward to a special event like vacation or seeing friends you haven't visited with in a long while? What level of excitement does a promotion at work create within your heart? Does the birth of a newborn thrill your heart and make your day special? I wonder if we have the same 'eagerness' and 'excitement' about Christ's return to this earth a second time? We all know there were mixed emotions over his first coming, ranging from curiosity to unbelief. Will his second return be met with mixed emotions on our part, or anticipation of better things to come?

Christ also died only once as a sacrifice. In this way, he took God's punishment for the sins of many people. Christ will return to earth a second time, but that will not be as a sacrifice for sins. That time, he will come to save those people who are waiting patiently for him. (Hebrews 9:28)

The purpose of his first coming - to offer himself for the sins of mankind. The purpose of his second coming - to take those waiting patiently for his return home to rule and reign with him through all of eternity. What we may not realize is how comfortable we have become in this world. Chances are we likely have very 'settled' lives, complete with a place to live, perhaps a job to go to each day, and 'things' that bring us some level of ease and comfort. The warning to us today is to not become 'too comfortable' in this world and with what it has to offer us. We aren't bound to stay here forever!

The thing I would like us to consider this morning is how close our heart is to Jesus' heart. It could be that we 'say' our heart is close to his, but how we choose to use our time, what we tolerate as 'acceptable' in our lives, and even the company we keep will reveal if we are genuinely seeking Christ first in all areas of our lives. Get too comfortable here on this earth and it is easy to get too comfortable with the pull of sin's compromises. Get our focus on Jesus first in all things and we are less likely to be looking for 'fulfillment' or 'joy' in the things of this world. Christ is coming for those who are patiently waiting for his return. Don't let the distractions of this world come between you and Jesus, my friend. His return isn't far off and we ALL want to be 'at the ready' when he says, "Let's go!" Just sayin!

Desert or High Ground?

In today's mad rush to find fame and fortune, we often miss out on the things in life that really give us the most satisfaction. I was talking with a friend one time about how one of her close friends was asked why she never had children. The answer was, "We just got so busy that we forgot to have them." Career, interests, making a living - each presented a distraction that kept the couple from realizing the passage of time. As time passed, it became just too late in life for her to safely consider carrying a child. Passage of time had barely been noticed until she realized the impact that passage actually had on her physical body. I wonder what it is we might miss down the road because we didn't take time today to recognize it, appreciate it, or use it as it was intended for us to use?

God—you're my God! I can't get enough of you! I've worked up such hunger and thirst for God, traveling across dry and weary deserts. So here I am in the place of worship, eyes open, drinking in your strength and glory. In your generous love I am really living at last! My lips brim praises like fountains. I bless you every time I take a breath; my arms wave like banners of praise to you. (Psalm 62:1-5)

Look at the words of King David and you will observe how he finds time for God, even in the midst of the Judean wilderness, being pursued by enemies galore. He even acknowledged that he had "worked up such a hunger and thirst" for his God - as one who could not get enough of something they really, really enjoyed. Where did this hunger and thirst occur for David? You might be surprised to realize that it was in those travels across dry and weary deserts - the driest places of his lifetime. Did you ever stop to think that the purpose of some the driest and weariest places in your life were designed by God to bring you to a place of hunger and thirst?

You would likely consider me a lunatic if I told you that the driest places can be the richest experiences of your life - simply because we don't equate the 'desert place' with life and richness! Think about it - do we really find as much satisfaction in making a trip to the well when we are not that thirsty as we do when we are parched and dry? Do we drink as deeply when the need is for basic hydration versus thirst? The dry times cause us to both drink deeper and to enjoy what we are experiencing in God! Satisfaction really has a couple of meanings - being contented, and being fulfilled. Water has a different meaning to us when we are parched!

Contentment is something that comes because we have peace of mind. Peace of mind, body, and soul is not something of our own making - it comes from drinking deeply of God's graces, enjoying his provisions, and realizing his protection. Fulfillment is usually associated with coming to an end of something - the work is completed. Coming through a dry place in life is rewarding - there is enjoyment in the realization of what has been achieved in the space of the wilderness. The wilderness may be harsh at first, but the things we experience there are deeper and with huge promise of fulfillment. The invitation to us today is to come into satisfaction. There, if we are willing to drink deeply and taste of his goodness, we will find great delight for our weary souls, searching spirits, and boggled minds. We can try to skirt the dry places as much as possible in life, but trust me on this one, we are passing by some pretty amazing opportunities to be touched by God! Just sayin!