Our Pursuit!

In my last blog, I spoke of God's infinite riches of grace that He has lavishly bestowed upon His children through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. In the first three chapters of the Book of Ephesians, we read of His immeasurable power and provision which He gives us and in chapter four, Paul begins with the word-"therefore"- now pointing out our rightful response to the blessings from our heavenly Father and none being deserved by any of us. I thank Him again and again for His grace.

On the heels of that thought last week, a couple of things happened to me that began to stir my heart in preparation for this particular writing this morning. As I was dusting my desk, I picked up a book that I have read a couple of times called Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper. I didn't open it to reread it right now but the title just bore heavily on me and never more so than on Wednesday night as Danny and I were in our basement after receiving three calls from the county offices warning of a possible tornado on the ground. After seeing the force of the ones which left Alabama in devastation, now barreling down on Georgia, my thoughts went to that if God chose to take me Home via a storm, how would a wasted life look like and here is my first observation.  I feel that my life would have been lived in vain had I not pursued God with passion and energy after He has lovingly found me. The Apostle Paul said it like this- "That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death;" in Philippians 3:10.  Our Savior, in His High Priestly prayer in John 17, put it like this- "And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom Thou hast sent."

Knowing about God and knowing God are two totally different things. I know the sheriff of Dawson County- I recognize him when he comes into Longhorn for lunch because I have seen his picture in our local papers but I don't really know him- I have never even had a conversation with him. I know some of you readers and some of your spouses and children but I don't really know them- not like I know mine. I know what makes mine happy or sad, I know their strengths and weaknesses, and I know why they, in many instances, think like they think. Sometimes I can complete their sentences and that is probably annoying to them- oops- sorry, family. I really know them because I have spent time with them, studied them, and have invested in their lives because I love them so much.  Are we, may I ask, in response to His love and grace toward us, spending time with Him, being a lifetime student in His classroom, and learning of Him and from Him as we live these lives which flee like a shadow? There were over 300 lives taken in that Wednesday evening storm, some old and some young, some black and some white, some lived in mobile homes but some lived in nice upscale homes that still couldn't stand against the force of EF4 and EF5 tornado winds. They were gone in an instant just as the Scriptures explain to us how transient our earthly lives are. Webster's tells me that transient can mean temporary lodgers. Yes, exactly, that is what we are, Saints. This world is not our home, we are just passin' through.

Because He is infinite, we can never know Him fully here but that shouldn't mean we give up and quit pursuing Him. No, actually, it's just the opposite. Because He is beautiful beyond description means He, above all, should be desired. What temporal trinkets are we so enamored with that we have quit pursuing the wonderful Lover of our souls? In one of my favorite Psalms, David writes this- "One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in His temple." 27:4.  For me, my life would have been wasted if I have failed to gaze on His beauty and meditated on His glorious attributes and forsook my pursuing Him in all of His glory. As I grow older in Him, I should be able to finish some of His sentences, if you will. Not all, mind you, because His ways and thoughts are far above mine but certainly we should be acquainted with His pattern of His faithfulness, His wisdom, and His love for His kids. We sang the song recently in the Resurrection Season entitled O Sacred Head Now Wounded and may this verse be our prayer today, as I close.  "What language shall I borrow to thank Thee dearest Friend,for this Thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end? O make me Thine forever! And should I fainting be, Lord, let me never, never outlive my love for Thee!"

Reflecting on my life and what I pursue!

Deborah