Thoughts...

I was driving to work this morning; and through a series of thoughts, prayers, music, and a conversation on the local christian station, I felt like the Lord sort of tapped me on the shoulder. What a great feeling. I'm a fairly thoughtful person, in the sense that I think through things often, probably more than I should. In the last year I think I've experience more and more what it means to thirst for Christ. Something about this morning, the peacefulness of the drive, listening to Third Day on the radio singing "Cry Out to Jesus"; brought me into the awareness that I long for Jesus, for my Savior. I love many people in my life, and I love them fiercely. I miss them when I'm not near them, long to speak with them and be with them when too long has passed since we have been together; and I always was concerned that I loved/longed for those relationships more than I did for the Lord. But that isn't true; its completely different. The love I feel for Christ and the longing inside me to know Him and be known by Him, to live in continual communion with Him, absolutely nothing compares to that. It is such a deeper, soul defining love and longing when it is for Jesus. And it's that yearning that helps me understand more and more each day that "I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" (Philippians 3:8). Don't get me wrong, there are many things in this life I love: family, friends, sunshine, laughing, a good movie, running and playing, reading at sunset... but in the light of knowing Jesus Christ intimately and continually... yeah those other things can't hold a candle to that. Why then, do I sometimes make those things a priority, why do I sometimes seek those things more fervently then I seek my Savior?

"So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!" Romans 7:21-25

There is nothing of my own strength or merit that will lead me to a life of passionate pursuit of Christ; but out of His mercy and grace, He leads me to the foot of His throne, and it is there that I find rest.