There was a time when God would walk in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, but once they ate fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil their relationship with God changed. God created us to have an appetite. When we get hungry our body sends our mind a message telling us we need food. God wants us to know the sense of victory, joy and fulfillment, but it can only be found in him.
Right now there is a commercial out that explains our sinful nature. We want more (click to follow the link). I just can't stand when this commercial comes on, but know God has a great sense of humor and can use anything and of all times for this to be on TV is the same time we are studying the story of Solomon.
David, Solomon's father and the king of Israel gave his son a charge as he made Solomon king of Israel to go out and live the way of the Lord - in other words "follow the plan". (read - 1 Kings 2: 1-4)
Solomon had a good start he sought God and in a mountain top experience with God he was given the opportunity to ask for anything he desired and Solomon asked for discernment. (read - 1 Kings 3: 1-28)
How many of us have experienced God in a mighty way? Maybe at a retreat or church camp, in a worship service, the list goes on an on... some special time where our eyes were opened and we experienced God in a life changing way. (read Luke 24: 19-35) After Jesus had been crucified, two of his followers were on a road to Emmaus, they were talking about all that had recently taken place in regards to Jesus when they came across someone on the road (this person was Jesus) he asked "What are you discussing together as you walk along?" In their sorrow they shared with him all that had happened. Jesus said to them "How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" Jesus went on to explain all the Scriptures concerning himself. They approached the village where thy were going to and urged Jesus to stay with them, he did. When they were at the table Jesus took the bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them "then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
These men were believers and yet they missed seeing Jesus. Had their emotions gotten the best of them and led them into the "lower story" or maybe disbelief? Solomon was unique. Most people we learn about are people who are living out their "lower story" through a matter of bad circumstances, choices of their own making or ones made by someone else. Solomon had it all & it still wasn't enough he wrote in Ecclesiastes 1: 2-9:
"Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless. " What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. The sun rises and the sun sets and hurries back to where it rises. The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course. All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again. All things are wearisome, more that one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing. What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
Ever felt this? Ever said this? EVERYTHING is meaningless when it's not lived out for the glory of God. This is the lifestyle of a sponge always soaking up and never giving out without being squeezed. Who wants to be forced to give it out? What would our lives look like if we surrendered it ALL the good the bad and the ugly over to the glory of God?
Thinking of this lifestyle I can't help but picture
a transparent vessel in the sight of God.
A vessel fashioned to fit in his holy hand, to be filled with His Spirit and be poured out for His glory.
Genesis 2:7 - The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
Our bodies are lifeless shells until God brings it alive with his breath of life. God makes his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
2 Corinthians 4:7-11 - But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body.
No matter where we are, recognizing the need for a savior or the one who thinks they don't need a savior. God is there and his love for you is so great he sacrificed his own son placing on him your sin, my sin, sin for all time so that in the work of Christ and in him alone we can be reconciled and made right in the eyes of the Lord God who created us to be in union with him.
If you are struggling with a hurt, hang-up or habit check out this site Celebrate Recovery
No comments:
Post a Comment