Not long ago God asked me a question. "Cindy, why do you think faith is important to me?" To be honest, I had never thought about it. There's a lot of benefits to faith on my end, that's for sure. But what's in it for Jesus?
Song of Solomon 6:11&12 is a strange passage. "I went down to the grove of nut trees to look at the new growth in the valley, to see if the vines had budded or the pomegranates were in bloom. Before I realized it, my desire set me among the royal chariots of my people." Before you're tempted to click to another blog, hang on. God is describing what life is like on his side of eternity and that should interest you. It's not a lofty passage about heaven. No, this text is about what God does with his day. This is about your faith and how it moves the heart of God.
In the valley of this fallen world lies a garden that is a true source of delight for the Lord - his prize, in fact. Some would say it's more like his office where he reviews daily progress reports, assessing if his plan is working. Today's stats are really encouraging. Buds and blooms are promising signs that confident identity is growing. "At last, it's not about what they do, but who they are." And God smiles, even chuckles at the thought.
Have you ever been in one place with your body and another place with your heart? My pastor often comments on the intense feelings of love he has for us whenever he's on a mission trip. Somehow, the distance causes significant endearment to surface for his flock. It can be an amazing trip just loaded with the exciting move of God but his love for our church is a distinct distraction, reserved for a special group of people. That's just what God is feeling as he takes a daily walk through the spiritual garden. He gets the latest news updates and it's so encouraging that he just can't stay in the office any longer. He has to be on the floor where the people are, where all the action is. (I know we don't ride chariots but you get the point.) We have a God who loves humanity. I even think he misses earth.
To be Christian is to exist in faith; it is our position in Christ. But don't forget that the purpose of faith is to transport you to the love experience. I'm sure God admires the energy of faith, the amount of investment it takes to believe. But it isn't because he enjoys giving you an "A" for effort at the end of the day. What's in it for Jesus? The hope for a companion. God longs for your friendship. Interestingly, friendship does not require a lot of faith. Why? Because a friend's love is sure. "I enjoy you" is reinforced over time and faith in the friendship blossoms into confidence. There's just less and less need for confirmation. Let faith take you to Jesus so relationship can bloom.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Cindy, as a man, I think it is easy to get addicted to the "adrenalin" of faith. I often find myself thriving in the most dire circumstances, sustained by those drops of faith that seem to be like Red Bull for my spirit. It's in the down times - the quiet dinner for two - that I often feel myself losing interest in Him. I'm ashamed to admit that, but I think there are a lot of men who probably feel the same way. When I'm charging the mountain, everything about Christ feels so alive. When I start heading off the summit and He wants to tell me how proud He is of me...you know, just kind of hang out and rest...it's hard. This whole thought of where faith and love intertwine is certainly making me think...and pray.
Dan - thank you for your honesty. You summarized it perfectly - Can I use your quote it in my next book?
Post a Comment