Romans 8:5-8
Those who think they can do it on their
own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get
around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God’s action in
them find that God’s Spirit is in them—living and breathing God!
Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God
leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life. Focusing on the
self is the opposite of focusing on God. Anyone completely absorbed in
self ignores God, ends up thinking more about self than God. That person
ignores who God is and what he is doing. And God isn’t pleased at being
ignored.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994,
1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of
NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
A former
student who is now the father of a 5-year-old shared a link to an
essay published by Reif Larsen in the May 31, 2016, edition of the New
York Times, titled, “In Search of Lost Time.”* The writer talks of his
first solo trip after the birth of his son…how he dreamed of going to a
movie alone, dining in peace and quiet…even drinking more than one beer
without feeling guilty. He eagerly anticipated a swim in the pool
without any worries and concerns for a 12+-month-old mini-version of
himself. He practically drooled over the thought of his great big hotel
bed, which he would not have to share with a soul – and the epic sleep
he hoped to experience there.
Nothing was as Larsen thought it
would be. The trip started out well. Larsen marveled at how quickly and
easily he navigated airport security without a baby and its
paraphernalia. But he found himself noticing every baby in his line of
sight. Larsen listened for his boy at every turn…he could not enjoy his
meals – or his drinks – and he said, “…everywhere I went I couldn’t
escape this feeling as if I had lost something essential. Keys, wallet,
cellphone … hmmm. It was eerie.” He woke up several times in the night –
disoriented and thinking he heard his son’s cry. And in the end, he
declared the trip to be “boring” and exhausting.
Do you see how
this relates to the Romans 8:5-8 – and to many aspects of our lives? We
build up so much that we think will be grand and glorious…people…trips…
acquisitions of all kinds…the perfect job/house/marriage/children…”fame
and fortune”…the ideal level of fitness and attractiveness…and just
plain “fun” in everything we do. And we set out to achieve these
things…through any and all means possible. We try to “do it our
way”…and often, this means pushing God to the back burner, at best.
We’re too busy to pray…we don’t have time to study His word…we surely
don’t have room in our lives to serve as the hands and feet of Jesus and
address the needs of others. What about OUR needs?
In the end,
we often find that the very things we thought were so important either
1) never measure up to our high expectation level; or 2) are actually
quite boring and exhausting – the exact opposite of what we thought we
wanted. But GOD always satisfies. Attention to God isn’t always
glamorous – or even fun! But when we focus on God and trust His Spirit
to move in and through us, we find that everything in life is oh, so
satisfying. We find a peace and contentment we never knew could exist
as we chased the world by the tail. We can rest and reflect on His
goodness…bask in the glow of His glory…and revel in the blessings that
come our way each and every day.
Will God give us a rosy, trouble
free life? Probably not – at least not 24/7/365. But the good will
far outweigh the bad…in all things…day in and day out. As we please God,
He will show us just how good life with Him can be. In Philippians
4:12, the Apostle Paul tells us that…”I’ve learned by now to be quite
content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with
much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy
whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have,
wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me
who I am.” I pray that this would become our battle cry today…our words
to live by. We can make it through anything in Christ Jesus. We don’t
have to do it on our own – and the grass is NOT greener on the other
side. Many of the things we think will make our lives so much better
are pipe dreams, because God has not ordained them.
Wherever
God has “planted” you today…do your best to bloom. But let HIM handle
the “gardening!” Let’s spend some time talking with God and ask where
we are supposed to focus…then allow Him to guide our steps and bring out
His very best in us! Are you with me?
©2016 Robus
*http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/05/travel/family-holidays-parenting-fatherhood.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share
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