A question I have been asking God: If my primary and (in a sense) only desire is to know Him and to gaze upon His beauty, then how should I live? It is not possible to spend every moment of every day in the Word and prayer. Obviously I have to do my work. At times I want to just play, and I feel His smile upon that as well. He doesn't seem to desire or require me to spend every free moment in study, and yet He desires me to abide, to pray continually, and to constantly behold Him.
I believe a key to the answer is here: "When I speak . . . of the multifaceted joys of the resurrected life in the new universe, some . . . may think, But our eyes should be on the giver, not the gift; we must focus on God, not on Heaven. This approach sounds spiritual, but it erroneously divorces our experience of God from life, relationships, and the world - all of which God graciously gives us. It sees the material realm and other people as God's competitors rather than as instruments that communicate His love and character. It fails to recognize that because God is the ultimate source of joy, and all secondary joys emanate from Him, to love secondary joys can be - and in Heaven always will be - to love God, their source" (Heaven, p. 170).
So in everything I do - whether work, play, prayer, Bible study, or relationships - I can continue to see His beauty reflected, to abide in His love, to enjoy Him. He is an amazing God!
"As for the rich in this world, charge them . . . to set their hopes . . . on God, who richly and ceaselessly provides us with everything for our enjoyment . . . . For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving" (1 Timothy 6:17; 4:4).
Thank you, Lord, for all Your good gifts: for games and family and friends and food and shopping and good books. Thank you that You delight in our enjoyment of Your gifts. They just make me want to climb into Your lap and enjoy You some more, because they show me how much You love me and how fun You are. I am excited about spending eternity with You: playing, laughing, singing, loving. Relishing life together. Let's start now!
You are cool, Michelle, always thinking, pondering and reaching for more! I love that you share your thoughts with us in this blog too!
ReplyDeleteI was thinking how God likens His relationship to us as a Father. We do give to our children as God gives to us. We then want them to take the gifts we give them; food, supplies, love and make their way in the world. We all are, as you kids are, always thankful and expresive of your/their/our appreciation and love. But we don't sit in front of each other looking, gazing and talking every minute of the day.
So what am I saying? We know that we are loved. We love back without receiving and giving constant attention. Does God know that we are in love with Him; that He is the most valuable thing in our life without our real time focus being on Him? I don't mean that our thoughts are not toward Him, but just that I might be living my life as you describe, playing, cooking, cleaning, working, walking...and yet always my thoughts are turning towards Him.
As I drove to work today in pourng rain, I was listening to worship music, specifically, Chris Tomlin's Unfailing.
"Everything You hold in Your hand, still You make time for me, I can't understand! Praise You God of earth and sky, how beautiful is Your unfailing love, unfailing love! And You never change God, You remain the Holy one of my unfailing love, unfailing love!"
my eyes were misty and i had a moment with my Father. Then I went on to thinking about my day and what I had to do. So for me it is not about making time in my day for God, it is about making God part of my day; all parts. Just as I think about my family all during the day and then thouroughly enjoy actually getting to spend focused time with you when we can fit it in. Tea with Michelle and then while I was typing this, Christal called and asked if I would like to meet with her and visit today! YAY!
That is what I think God wants!
I agree. We need both! Just as in our marriages we need set-aside times to focus on each other, and we also fellowship throughout our day with phone calls, thoughts, prayers, etc. So it is in our relationship with God.
ReplyDeleteHere's another fun quote from the same book: "God's glory will fill and permeate the entire new Heaven, not just one centralized place. Thus, wherever we go in Heaven, we will be in the immediate presence of the full glory of God. Wherever we go, we will enjoy the complete manifestation of God's presence. Throughout all eternity, we will never be separated from direct, unhindered fellowship with God" (Steven J. Lawson).
Isn't that an incredible thought?