This is something that I wrote last month, before I had a blog, but am posting it as I play catch-up with what has happened this summer.
7.13.2015
Although it is Monday, it has been a fantastic one- hunting the good things!! That is a phrase Dj always tells me to encourage me to focus on the little things that make life good- things you wouldn't normally think about in an "ordinary" day. The gym this morning was great- I am learning to really enjoy it and see it as a God thing, which I didn’t expect. It is sweet to see it as a gift to be able to push our bodies and make them stronger, to take care of what God has given us, cause our bodies are His temple! I am getting excited looking for harder workouts like Dj had suggested, and I am glad that I have him to motivate me and encourage me. The gym is just a great way to start off the day because it makes me feel so good and wakes me up! I also had a great breakfast- because we all know how much I love food hahah. We had steak, eggs, and fruit, which is easily my new favorite meal!! Jesus is really teaching me to be a morning person- such good things happen before 10am that I didn’t even know!! Lol truly! I love the routine of working out, eating a killer breakfast, and having the time to spend enjoying my coffee in the presence of Jesus! It has been really good to just have a routine, and be able to prioritize my time so that I make time for God.
I was convicted this morning because it had been more than a week since I had spent time in the word, but Jesus still finds ways to draw me back to him. Even though I feel like a hard-headed and slow learner, he always has something to teach me! I love Erin and Dave’s lounge chairs on the patio, it makes for the perfect place to have quiet time. It is amazing how Jesus really made coming here a way for me to get back to Him on a daily basis. I was sitting there this morning reflecting on how thankful I am for that, for such a good time at the gym, and such a good breakfast. I had 20 minutes until work, and I prayed that he would make more time to spend with him. Erin got caught up in something, and I had 40 whole minutes to pray and read the Word!! Jesus is so cool.
I am reading through Hebrews right now- today I read Chapter 5:11-14. Basically in the passage, Paul is warning against apostasy- which is a big word for renouncing your faith- or turning away from Jesus. He says that basically these people who claim to be believers, have been wasting their time, and they should be teachers of the Word by now because they have been Christians for so long, yet they did not spend their time reading the word and growing with Jesus. He says they are like babies, and still need to hear the basics of the Bible because they haven’t been using their time wisely and seeking Jesus.
Verse 14 really stuck out to me. It was talking about the mature Christian. It says, “but solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” This led me to look up the definition of constant- since I want to know what it truly means to be mature in Jesus. The definition is so powerful.
Constant: sustained, uninterrupted in time, steadfast in purpose, devotion, and affection.
Wow- like what? I can’t even comprehend that! Uninterrupted in time?? Steadfast in all those things? Purpose, devotion, and affection?? Sustained. I mean, hot dang, the weight of those words. I encourage you to take some time and meditate on what that means to you. That those words are how our relationship with Jesus should be!
Never pausing, never ceasing, but constantly seeking him and in communication with him.
We don’t have to be overwhelmed by that, but encouraged cause He’s always there ready to listen and guide us!! We just need to be aware of His presence. And all that makes sense, because without constantly looking to Jesus, we lose sight of how and why we should be living! And I know I do that too often. Those words are a perfect example of how Jesus loves us, and how constant and unwavering he is in pursuing us in relationship with him.
Not only are we called to give him that same devotion, but one another. THAT is how I want to love. I want to love and serve beyond all faults, constantly, and through the hard times, never-ceasing, relentlessly!
This caused me to assess my relationship with Dj, my family, friends, and even strangers. As I mentioned in my last post, I was filled with all sorts of emotions and at points, bitterness because of Dj's absence. But oh, has the Lord been working on my heart in ways I couldn't have imagined. I was challenged to support Dj in this way- constant, and serve him daily- to love on him like he deserves! He is precious and pure in the eyes of Jesus- and I am the one who gets the privilege of serving him and showing him love like the Father's. It is something that I can't even wrap my head around, but know because of the overwhelming and indescribable feeling of love that comes from standing in presence of God.
I want to love like that.
Like Jesus does.