Desire

Dear Ones,
All desire is rooted in God given desire to be fulfilled by Him. The problem arises when we take our desires and try to fulfill them in our own way...that is called sin, and it is sin because we are depending on ourselves for fulfillment instead of seeking the Lord, allowing Him to direct our paths, and waiting upon Him to fill us. And depending first on myself, brings destruction to myself and all those involved, all those around me...

It is counter-cultural for me to say that I'm not depending on myself. That I'm not self-sufficient, self-reliant, and independent.

This does not mean I depend first on others for my sufficiency, reliance, and dependency. This means I first depend on God. I look to God to be my sufficiency, my reliance, and dependence. Then I am empowered by the Holy Spirit to do what He has called me to do - to utilized the gifts He has given me.

I also am called to be inter-dependent. That means that I need you and you need me...and we both need God.

"Lord, help us to see ourselves in You, depending on You first, going forth in power, empowered, by Your Holy Spirit, and then walking with each other as we walk with Jesus. Thank You Lord."

Thursday, June 17, 2010
A Holy Longing
The whole life of the good Christian," said Augustine, "is a holy longing." Sadly, many of us have been led to feel that somehow we ought to want less, not more. We have this sense that we should atone for our longings, apologize that we feel such deep desire. Shouldn't we be more content? Perhaps, but contentment is never wanting less; that's the easy way out. Anybody can look holy if she's killed her heart; the real test is to have your heart burning within you and have the patience to enjoy what there is now to enjoy, while waiting with eager anticipation for the feast to come. In Paul's words, we "groan inwardly as we wait eagerly" (Rom. 8:23). Contentment can only happen as we increase desire, let it run itself out toward its fulfillment, and carry us along with it. And so George Herbert prayed,

Immortal Heat, O let thy greater flame
Attract the lesser to it: let those fires,
Which shall consume the world, first make it tame;
And kindle in our hearts such true desires,
As may consume our lusts, and make thee way.
Then shall our hearts pant thee. (Love)

There may be times when all we have to go on is a sense of duty. But in the end, if that is all we have, we will never make it. Our Hero is the example. He's run on before us and he's made it; he's there now. His life assures us it can be done, but only through passionate desire for the joy set before us.

(The Sacred Romance , 199-200)