My kids love sweets and chocolates
like most other kids I suppose. I don't want them to eat too much
of it as I know that it is not the best healthy choice for them. So
what I do is I put the sweets and chocolates in the highest
cupboard possible in our kitchen and when they want a sweet, they
can ask me for it and I can decide whether they have had a lot of
sweets during the day already or not. Now what I observed was that
they didn't let the height deter them. The times that they know
they have had a lot of sweets already and that I will say no to
more, they make a plan. They get a kitchen counter chair that is
high enough and with the one holding the chair, the other one
climbs up and reach as best he can for the sweets. The oldest one
is now tall enough to reach it. This whole episode made me think. I
have never seen someone go to this extreme for a carrot, have you?
But the drive and the desire for a chocolate or a sweet drives them
to risk the height to get it. They don't even consider the
consequences of slipping and falling, the craving for something
sweet urges them on.
And this made me realize something.
We need to have the same urge, desire, craving to be with God, to
know Him better. We shouldn't even consider the price it would cost
us, we should simply 'get the chair and climb on' and reach for
Him. We should risk everything; give of our time and energy just to
be close to Him. I personally think in our walk with God we
sometimes lose some of that urgency and desire. We become too
familiar with God and we tend to take it for granted that He is
there. I know, I have seen it in my own life. And then sometimes
something happens that drives us back to Him. But I think it is
much better to crave His presence even before something happens. I
think that should be our ultimate goal - to know God better.
This correlates with the message
concerning South Africa that I gave last week. If we love God, if
we crave Him more than anything else and if our relationship with
Him is restored to the ultimate level; then everything else will
fall into place. You will become more and more like Him and when
you become more like Him you will start to do two things. Firstly
His love will start flowing through you to others. You will feel
His heart beat for the lost and lonely, you will feel His love
reaching out and helping others. There will be no effort on your
side, it will flow so naturally that without even realizing it you
would have helped another of God's children. You are part of the
Body of Christ on earth and you will automatically be His hands and
feet.
Secondly you will lose your love
for this world. Everything this world has to offer will lose its
alluring attraction and you would much rather focus on Christ and
His world to come. Having treasures in heaven will take on a new
meaning and you will rather focus on what is best for His Kingdom
and not what is best for you. Your own ambitions and your own
agenda will take second place. Paul says in Colossians 3:2, 3 "Let
heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here
on earth. For you died when Christ died, and your real life is
hidden in Christ in God."
The world will be a much better
place if the desire for God once again takes hold of people. People
will stand back and do what is best for all in the Kingdom, instead
of what is most profitable for them. The lost, lonely and poor will
be cared for and everyone will experience God's love flowing
through them. Now I know this will one day be the case when Jesus
comes and rules over His Kingdom, but in the meantime we can get
close, if we get serious with God and be the children He created us
to be. Reach out to God like a child reaching for a chocolate and
see the difference it will make in the world you work and live
in.
Father I love You so much. I yearn
for more of You. I want to be so close to You that You are the only
oxygen I have. I cannot breath if I don't take each breath with
You. Please help us to grow closer and to be more like You, because
only Your love can change the world. You are amazing. Amen