It's just been floating around in my mind for days that the only pursuit in life that makes sense is the pursuit of God. I've known it all along but I get sidetracked with life and the first thing I know I'm off chasing rabbits somewhere around the path to God but not ON the path to God. Life does that. We go off on searches for meaning, for purpose, for healing, for renewal, for ourselves... We have so many questions that must be answered (right now, thank you very much) and even if we're humbly asking God to help us find the answers what he really wants to help us find is himself.
I think it's interesting that one of our "inalienable rights" as Americans is the "pursuit of happiness." What a futile pursuit! Happiness is as illusive and changeable as the wind. What made me happy yesterday is not what makes me happy today and what makes me happy today will more than likely not make me happy tomorrow. How can I keep up with the pursuit of happiness? It's exhausting to think about it.
Fortunately I have a God who is patient with me and available to me and he knows that the pursuit of happiness will not make me happy. Only pursuing God and finding him will make me happy. And even then "happy" doesn't always work out. My God is more interested in my holiness than in my happiness.
So here is the question I'm asking, "If the only enduring relationship I have is with God (the creator and sustainer of the universe) is that enough? And if the only gift he ever gives me is his one and only, dearly loved, brutally murdered for my sake son, is that gift enough?"
What on earth are we thinking? How could that not be enough?
Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile." Jeremiah 29:12-14
It's not about finding myself. It's about finding him. It's just about him. Period.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Orange Juice: A Faith Parable
So I'm laying in bed pondering the great things of the universe and feeling a little thirsty.
"Honey, is there any orange juice in the fridge?"
"Yes."
"I didn't see any and I was just wondering.."
"There is orange juice in the fridge. I put it there myself. I even had a glass earlier."
"Well, I'm not sure. I didn't see it."
"Well, it's there. Trust me."
I turned over and contmplated the whole idea of orange juice. I really wanted there to be orange juice in the fridge but I hadn't seen it so I just couldn't believe that there was actually orange juice in the fridge so I rolled over and tried to go to sleep. I decided that since I hadn't seen the orange juice it wasn't there and I could get along without it. In fact, I would probably be better off without it. And who needs it anyway!
I got up the next morning and got ready for work, ignoring the fridge. Ignoring the very idea of orange juice. Cold, refreshing orange juice. I made it through the day and to tell you the truth, once I got busy I didn't even think about orange juice again. Till I got home. The family was all there and they were hovered around the fridge - drinking orange juice.
"Where did you get that?" I demanded.
"It was in the fridge, just where I told you it was. You didn't get any this morning?"
"No. I didn't see it there yesterday and I just didn't believe it was there."
"Well, it was there."
"Great! Can I have some?"
"Too late. We just drank the last of it. But I'll get some more when I go to the store."
So I'm laying in bed pondering the great things of the universe and feeling a little thirsty.
"Honey, is there any orange juice in the fridge?"
"Yes."
"I didn't see any and I was just wondering.."
"There is orange juice in the fridge. I put it there myself. I even had a glass earlier."
"Well, I'm not sure. I didn't see it."
"Well, it's there. Trust me."
I turned over and contemplated the whole idea of orange juice. I really wanted there to be orange juice in the fridge but I hadn't seen it and so I just couldn't believe that there was actually orange juice in the fridge. So I rolled over and tried to go to sleep. And then I got to thinking. I had been told there was orange juice by someone I trusted. He had actually had some of it. I still had serious doubts because I hadn't actually seen it but I made a decision to believe that the orange juice was there. It wasn't easy and I wrestled with my doubts off and on all night and in the morning I was tempted to ignore the fridge and the chance of being disappointed. I mean, what if I went to the trouble of opening the fridge and there was no orange juice? What then? I would feel like a fool. But then I thought about how good a glass of orange juice would be and I was so thirsty. And maybe, just maybe the orange juice would be there. So I took a deep breath and opened the fridge. Ahh...Orange Juice!
So I'm laying in bed pondering the great things of the universe and feeling a little thirsty.
"Honey, is there any orange juice in the fridge?"
"Yes."
"I didn't see any and I was just wondering.."
"There is orange juice in the fridge. I put it there myself. I even had a glass earlier."
"Well, I'm not sure. I didn't see it."
"Well, it's there. Trust me."
I turned over and contemplated the whole idea of orange juice. I really wanted there to be orange juice in the fridge and even though I hadn't seen it I knew it would be there. I looked forward to drinking a nice cold glass of orange juice in the morning. In fact, I got so excited about it I hopped out of bed and ran to the kitchen. I know what you're thinking. You think I was just checking to see if it was really there. NOT TRUE. I knew it was there. I just couldn't wait. After all, orange juice is my life.
And faith is a decision.
"Honey, is there any orange juice in the fridge?"
"Yes."
"I didn't see any and I was just wondering.."
"There is orange juice in the fridge. I put it there myself. I even had a glass earlier."
"Well, I'm not sure. I didn't see it."
"Well, it's there. Trust me."
I turned over and contmplated the whole idea of orange juice. I really wanted there to be orange juice in the fridge but I hadn't seen it so I just couldn't believe that there was actually orange juice in the fridge so I rolled over and tried to go to sleep. I decided that since I hadn't seen the orange juice it wasn't there and I could get along without it. In fact, I would probably be better off without it. And who needs it anyway!
I got up the next morning and got ready for work, ignoring the fridge. Ignoring the very idea of orange juice. Cold, refreshing orange juice. I made it through the day and to tell you the truth, once I got busy I didn't even think about orange juice again. Till I got home. The family was all there and they were hovered around the fridge - drinking orange juice.
"Where did you get that?" I demanded.
"It was in the fridge, just where I told you it was. You didn't get any this morning?"
"No. I didn't see it there yesterday and I just didn't believe it was there."
"Well, it was there."
"Great! Can I have some?"
"Too late. We just drank the last of it. But I'll get some more when I go to the store."
So I'm laying in bed pondering the great things of the universe and feeling a little thirsty.
"Honey, is there any orange juice in the fridge?"
"Yes."
"I didn't see any and I was just wondering.."
"There is orange juice in the fridge. I put it there myself. I even had a glass earlier."
"Well, I'm not sure. I didn't see it."
"Well, it's there. Trust me."
I turned over and contemplated the whole idea of orange juice. I really wanted there to be orange juice in the fridge but I hadn't seen it and so I just couldn't believe that there was actually orange juice in the fridge. So I rolled over and tried to go to sleep. And then I got to thinking. I had been told there was orange juice by someone I trusted. He had actually had some of it. I still had serious doubts because I hadn't actually seen it but I made a decision to believe that the orange juice was there. It wasn't easy and I wrestled with my doubts off and on all night and in the morning I was tempted to ignore the fridge and the chance of being disappointed. I mean, what if I went to the trouble of opening the fridge and there was no orange juice? What then? I would feel like a fool. But then I thought about how good a glass of orange juice would be and I was so thirsty. And maybe, just maybe the orange juice would be there. So I took a deep breath and opened the fridge. Ahh...Orange Juice!
So I'm laying in bed pondering the great things of the universe and feeling a little thirsty.
"Honey, is there any orange juice in the fridge?"
"Yes."
"I didn't see any and I was just wondering.."
"There is orange juice in the fridge. I put it there myself. I even had a glass earlier."
"Well, I'm not sure. I didn't see it."
"Well, it's there. Trust me."
I turned over and contemplated the whole idea of orange juice. I really wanted there to be orange juice in the fridge and even though I hadn't seen it I knew it would be there. I looked forward to drinking a nice cold glass of orange juice in the morning. In fact, I got so excited about it I hopped out of bed and ran to the kitchen. I know what you're thinking. You think I was just checking to see if it was really there. NOT TRUE. I knew it was there. I just couldn't wait. After all, orange juice is my life.
And faith is a decision.
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