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!

Why isn't this working?

Humans are satisfied with whatever looks good; God probes for what is good. (Proverbs 16:2)

Count them all up and you may just be surprised by how many times you "settle" for the first thing that comes along - something or someone appears to be whatever you think will fulfill your immediate need or emptiness of spirit and you just 'settle'. We definitely need to be a little more discriminating in our choices - as evidenced by some of our choices. God's greatest desire is that we would come to use the wisdom and direction of the Holy Spirit to move us toward what truly matters and away from what only holds value for the immediate moment.

We settle - God probes. God searches deep into a matter, investigating and understanding prior to taking action. Look at how many examples we are given in scripture of God's examining hearts, looking deep for ones who are committed to following him, really getting to understand the heart behind our actions, not just the actions we display. He could "settle" for a run-of-the-mill half-hearted belief, but he probes deeper to find the commitment of heart that reveals a passion to be embraced by totally in his love.

Put God in charge of your work, then what you've planned will take place. (Proverbs 16:3)

God is not a forceful God when it comes to his leadership in our lives. He asks us to put him in charge of our lives - even though he could quite easily take charge of us, manipulating us like puppets on a string. God is looking for open access to our lives - a backstage pass, as it were. When this type of access occurs, he is free to direct the situations and opportunities of our lives toward what will truly fulfill and truly bless us. The 'forcefulness' of God is not in his taking charge, but in his protectiveness of those who have given him that place of leadership in their lives.

It scares me to see how frequently we leave God out of our plans - trusting our own abilities or thinking - the stuff we can muster up in our minds and dreams - rejecting a total trust in our Lord's oversight and protection. It is a foolish and dangerous predicament to find ourselves in - we are almost assured there will be failure when we take steps God has not directed for our lives. In the ninth verse, the writer calls to mind that we may plan the way we want to live, but the very ability to live that life comes from one source alone - God. Our plans, in the hands of God, can be ignited into purposeful and fulfilling work. Apart from his Spirit's guiding force in our lives, plans fail.

God is always giving us new ability beyond what we imagine possible. He gives us the wherewithal to 'live out' what we imagine - not because we imagined it alone - but because as we align our desires with his, those 'imagined things' become more and more like what he has imagined for our lives all along. He also protects us from stepping out into things that are sure to bring us defeat. It is probably way past the time to let God do some 'probing' in our lives, uncovering what he sees as impeding our progress. When he does, we will be free to allow him to energize us with the plans he has for us. Just sayin!

Come into satisfaction

¹ 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. ^2-4 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)

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 this week about how one of her 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.

Look at David's words that we are considering today.  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.  Where did this occur?  In his travels across dry and weary deserts.  Did you ever stop to think that 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 consider me a lunatic if I told you that the driest places can be the richest experiences of your life!  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.  Contentment is something that comes because we have peace of mind.  Peace of mind 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 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.