IS IT TIME TO CHASE AFTER GOD, OR KEEP STRIVING IN THE WORLD ?

12/11/2019

THE CHRISTMAS SEASON ALWAYS BRINGS OUT A SENSE OF NOSTALGIA FOR ME. IT MAKES ME THINK OF HOW MUCH MY LIFE HAS CHANGED SINCE I RETIRED FROM THE BUSINESS WORLD. I WAS BLESSED TO WORK IN AN INDUSTRY WITH GOOD SOLID PEOPLE. MY COMPANY WAS FILLED WITH PEOPLE I LOVED AND RESPECTED, CUSTOMERS WHO WERE A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH, AND SUPPLIERS WHO TRULY CARED ABOUT US AS A CUSTOMER AND A BUSINESS PARTNER. GOD BLESSED OUR BUSINESS IN SO MANY WAYS, AND I MISS A LOT OF THE INTERACTION AND EXCITEMENT OF GROWING A COMPANY AT TIMES. AS I REFLECT BACK THOUGH, I REALIZE THAT MY TIME OF SEEKING OR CONVERSING WITH GOD WAS PRETTY LIMITED. BUSINESS VISION AND DECISIONS COUPLED WITH DAILY FUNCTIONING AND FUTURE PLANNING REALLY TOOK UP MY TIME AND THOUGHTS. I BEGAN TO REALIZE THAT EVEN WHEN I WAS SIMPLY DOING CONSTRUCTION HOUSE BUILDING IN MY 20’S, I WAS STILL FOCUSED ON ME, AND PRETTY WORLDLY GOALS. SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDST OF MY SELF FOCUS GOD NEVER LEFT MY SIDE, ALWAYS HONING MY CHARACTER TOWARDS HIS CHARACTER AND WAYS, AND FORGIVING MY MISTAKES. GOD ALWAYS HAS US IN HIS HEART NO MATTER WHERE WE ARE IN LIFE.

I WILL INSTRUCT YOU AND TEACH YOU IN THE WAY YOU SHOULD GO; I WILL COUNSEL YOU WITH MY LOVING EYE ON YOU. Psalm 32:8

IN THEIR HEARTS HUMANS PLAN THEIR COURSE, BUT THE LORD ESTABLISHES THEIR STEPS. Proverbs 16:9

BUT DO NOT FORGET THIS ONE THING, DEAR FRIENDS: WITH THE LORD A DAY IS LIKE A THOUSAND YEARS, AND A THOUSAND YEARS ARE LIKE A DAY. THE LORD IS NOT SLOW IN KEEPING HIS PROMISE AS SOME UNDERSTAND SLOWNESS. INSTEAD HE IS PATIENT WITH YOU, NOT WANTING ANYONE TO PERISH, BUT EVERYONE TO COME TO REPENTANCE. 2 Peter 3: 8-9

THE AMAZING THING ABOUT GOD IS THAT HE ALWAYS HAS TIME FOR YOU ! HE WAITS PATIENTLY FOR THAT MOMENT WHEN YOU BEGIN TO REALIZE THERE IS MUCH MORE TO LIFE THAN JUST SURVIVING, AND EVEN THRIVING IN A WORLDLY SENSE. IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE AND JUST BE ABLE TO BE WARM AND SAFE, WITH ENOUGH FOOD TO CARE FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY, GOD IS WATCHING. IF YOU ARE IN A PLACE OF PLENTY, WITH YOUR LIFE FULL OF RICHES, MATERIAL THINGS, AND GREAT OPPORTUNITY, GOD IS WATCHING. GOD IS ALSO LISTENING. AND IF YOU CAN BRING YOUR HEART AND FOCUS TOWARDS HIM, HE IS ALSO SPEAKING. HE IS INVITING YOU TO CHANGE. CHANGE WHO YOU ARE, AND WHAT YOU ARE PURSUING. NO MATTER WHAT END OF THE HAVE VS. HAVE NOT SCALE YOU ARE ON, THE WORLD WILL ULTIMATELY NOT PROVIDE THE THINGS THAT GOD OFFERS US. “WHAT DOES GOD HAVE TO OFFER ME ?”, YOU ASK. HE OFFERS TRUTH ABOUT LIFE, AND HOW TO LIVE. HE OFFERS FREEDOM TO BE WHO HE CREATED YOU TO BE, NOT CAPTIVE IN YOUR WORLDLY CONSTRAINTS. HE OFFERS RELATIONSHIP, AS A FATHER WHO LOVES YOU COMPLETELY DESPITE YOUR IMPERFECTIONS. GOD OFFERS YOU ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH THE GIFT OF HIS SON, JESUS. GOD OFFERS YOU EVERYTHING !

AND GOD IS ABLE TO MAKE ALL GRACE ABOUND TO YOU, SO THAT ALWAYS HAVING ALL SUFFICIENCY IN EVERYTHING, YOU MAY HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF EVERY GOOD DEED. 2 Corinthians 9:8

PEACE I LEAVE WITH YOU; MY PEACE I GIVE TO YOU; NOT AS THE WORLD GIVES DO I GIVE TO YOU. DO NOT LET YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED, NOR LET IT BE FEARFUL. John 14: 27

PEACE ! TOTAL AND COMPLETE. THAT IS THE HEART OF OUR GOD AND WHAT HE OFFERS YOU. DO YOU HAVE TIME TO CARVE OUT A SPACE AND EFFORT TO CHASE AFTER HIM ? REMEMBER, HE HAS TIME FOR YOU, AND IS PATIENTLY WAITING FOR YOU TO TURN YOUR FACE TO HIM. TO QUIETLY COME IN, SIT DOWN IN HIS PRESENCE, AND TALK TO HIM. TO SEEK HIM. TO NEED HIM ! I ENCOURAGE YOU TO FIND THAT TIME THIS YEAR AND FIND THE REAL GIFT OF LIFE. MANY DON’T CARE, MANY DON’T WANT TO SPEND THE TIME, AND MANY ARE SO BURIED IN THE WORLD, OR PARALYZED BY THE PROMISE IT OFFERS THAT THEY MISS THE WHOLE THING. DON’T LET THAT BE YOU. CHASE AFTER HIM ! YOU WANT TO KNOW HIM WHEN HE COMES AGAIN…..AND IT IS ONE DAY CLOSER….EVERY DAY.

MOVE TOWARD HIM/JA