Changing Perspective, Longing for More

 I drank coffee with deep peace this morning - even a touch of joy. It could have been due to time with grand kids yesterday afternoon. Or dinner with my oldest last night during which he espoused the intrigue of a certain video game. His ten year old self emerged through the framework of his maturing soul. And I loved every moment.

It could also be due to something I heard Beth Moore say in a video Monday night. I don't have the direct quote but she challenged  her listeners to recognize and embrace the inner longing that is ours as followers of Christ.

This is not our home. Our DNA holds a Jesus imprint that makes us long for more. But if we're not careful, that longing dulls and becomes easy to ignore.

I read this verse just today, "To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, he will give eternal life." (Romans 2: 7) And I have to admit, I've never thought much about seeking immortality. That's what super heroes do in the movies.

But it goes back to that longing. Are we living for today for our comfort, our fiftieth wedding anniversary, our well being, temporal blessings? Or are we choosing Him, living this life as if immortality is the ultimate something to look forward to?

I can honestly say that some days I get it and others I just long for circumstantial comfort.

I received my first study Bible from my mom's parents when I was in high school. The books tiny print is highlighted throughout. And I can open its pages and flash back to times and places where Jason and I read The Word together and were changed by the promises held within.

But after he died, the very promises that once brought life, stirred confusion. The hope that carried us through became more than I could absorb in the midst of grief. I didn't want to get a new Bible due to the rich meaning hidden in the pages, but I struggled to read it with consistency.

I now understand the conundrum. Beth made it clear. God's Word stirs longing. And sometimes that longing conflicts with our current circumstances. It almost taunts us. Joy in sorrow? Hope in despair? Life in grief?

The contradiction remains only when we allow our longing to limit us to situational resolution. Meaning we want the story to make sense today. In this moment. In the pain and disappointment we feel right now.

While God is the master of meeting us in our deepest hour of need, sometimes His word is just there to remind us of the hope yet to come. The story that has yet to be acted out. The master plan that is still in operation. The immortality that is ours when we seek life with Him here, with an understanding of how much more is coming in the ultimate tomorrow.

So open His word. Change your perspective. Think sideways for a moment, basking in the wonder. There's a lot more to come.

photo credit: Simon Cocks via photopin cc