The Ride part 1
I think a big part about this never-ending eternal life long journey that we seem to miss is that we're supposed to enjoy the ride. I think we still have this mentality of: If I finish the work, THEN I can rest. And we never enter into GOD'S rest because of unbelief. Because we don't believe--or understand what it means that--HE has finished the work. We get to ENJOY the fruit of HIS labor. The fruit of the Spirit. Which is love. We spend so much time looking for love in all the wrong places that we end up robbing ourselves of the gift we've been given. We end up trying to get somewhere instead of being content where we are. And, listen, I'm not saying we should pitch a tent and stubbornly stay where we happen to find ourselves. Remember when God instructed the people of Israel to build Him a tabernacle? Something that could be disassembled and moved. Because He was always moving. Abraham, the father of faith, demonstrated his faith in this way: When God told him to go... he went. So I'm not saying get stuck. I'm not saying where you are right now is where you'll always be. In fact, if you're learning and growing I can guarantee that where you are right now is NOT where you'll always be. And that's my point. One of my favorite songs says, "Life's a dance, you learn as you go." So... go learn! But don't miss out on the ride because you're trying so hard to get to the destination. We've already arrived. Heaven on earth. The Kingdom within us. We have what we need, we're where we need to be, and we're WHO we need to be. Don't believe me? Go buy the Answer Trilogy where I lay it all out :) I guess what I'm trying to say is: If the journey never ends, we ought to enjoy it. We ought to be content, but that doesn't mean we never go anywhere or do anything. When I was younger my grandma called me a tumbleweed because I was always restless. I was always looking for where I belonged. And I think a lot of us feel that way. ESPECIALLY when we're gripped by grace. Because when there's something inside you that just doesn't line up with what's all around you... that can be frustrating. In the world, but not OF the world, right? And that can make it hard to be content. Or when you're not where you think you're "supposed to be." That can be hard. But that's when we preachers like to remind people that it came to pass, not to stay. That's when we like to look at the bigger picture. That's when we--like King David of old--encourage, or strengthen, ourselves in the Lord. We delight in Him, and He gives us the desire of our heart. We focus on Him and start to be able to enjoy the ride. We find the good--the GOD--in every situation. We set our affection on things above and we see that that's where we're headed... upward and God-ward. Always moving, not because we're looking for something better, but because we HAVE something better and we want to get it to those that don't know THEY have it. To share what we've got. To spread the Gospel--the good news--and to enjoy the ride!