Still thirsty?
If Jesus quenched every thirst, there would be no more temptation, no more sin, no more unfaithfulness.
The truth is, he can only open doors that enter into his home. He only answers prayers that are in his name. He is only found by those who are ultimately searching for him. (Granted, he is found in unexpected places, by people were looking for him without knowing it.)
The desires of my heart are satisfied when they are redirected toward God. This is especially true of religious activity. Worship is never enough if I am at the center of it. Prayer will never suffice if I search for my will and not his. Love will never be enough if moi is at the middle of it. Piety, by definition, is God-centered.
You know that true life is God-centered. When you are searching for God, you find him in your work, your family, your leisure and your dreams. His quest fills your life.
As Paul wrote to the Philippian Christians:
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead…
But Paul, don’t you already know him? Didn’t you meet him face to face? Haven’t you spent these many years following him?
Ah yes, he says. But I’m still hungry. I want to know him better. Even to the end.
The truth is, he can only open doors that enter into his home. He only answers prayers that are in his name. He is only found by those who are ultimately searching for him. (Granted, he is found in unexpected places, by people were looking for him without knowing it.)
The desires of my heart are satisfied when they are redirected toward God. This is especially true of religious activity. Worship is never enough if I am at the center of it. Prayer will never suffice if I search for my will and not his. Love will never be enough if moi is at the middle of it. Piety, by definition, is God-centered.
You know that true life is God-centered. When you are searching for God, you find him in your work, your family, your leisure and your dreams. His quest fills your life.
As Paul wrote to the Philippian Christians:
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead…
But Paul, don’t you already know him? Didn’t you meet him face to face? Haven’t you spent these many years following him?
Ah yes, he says. But I’m still hungry. I want to know him better. Even to the end.
June 18th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
There has probably been much pain throughout church history caused by brothers who instead of wanting to know Christ better thought they knew him perfectly.
June 19th, 2007 at 6:50 am
A song comes to mind. “Be the Centre” Here are a couple lines from the song:
“Jesus, be my Vision
Be my Path, be my Guide
Jesus
Be the Fire in my heart
Be the Wind in these sails
Be the Reason that I live
Jesus, Jesus”
I liked the point you make at the end about Paul, after all he had experienced, he was still hungry. I know I have prayed or thought before that if only God did this one thing for me, things would just be so much better or I would become a stronger believer. Usually nothing happened, probably because it was not what God wanted and He already knew it would not be helpful. God does know what’s best for us, the hard part is just trying to understand it all. Then again, maybe it is not meant to be understood, but so we would just believe and let God be the centered.
June 19th, 2007 at 3:09 pm
Yes, interesting observation about Paul. I wonder how much of our hunger and thirst is fueled by our guilt from falling short?