There was something about the prayer life of Jesus that fascinated His disciples.
There was something about His regular commitment to interaction with His Father that intrigued His followers.
Could the same be said about His followers today?
Lots of activities and well-meaning folks dedicating a lot of time to make sure those activities are well organised and efficiently run. In all of that is there much room to see any evidence of lives determined to prioritise the desire for God over everything?
For years I witnessed people making a lot of effort to attend and be a part of events that evidently cost a lot of time, effort, sacrifice as well as money. So much effort to put on something for God. So many hours, days and weeks poured into these events that had to go on like clockwork throughout the calendar. Yet when all the fuss died down, it was interesting to detect if there was anything about that which would intrigue and stimulate interest in actually having intimacy with God.
The episode of Jesus with Martha and Mary remains the telling case. Martha is busy for Jesus, but Jesus highlights to her that her sister has chosen something better. Not rushing to be busy for Jesus, but to actually prefer to be with Jesus.
Those who followed Jesus and were impacted by His life and His mission would encourage others that make cultivating that intimacy with God the priority. That’s why Paul states that he finds everything else garbage contrasted knowing Jesus. The desire that should overrule and override everything else.
It’s not to say stop all the activities and the like. It is to suggest that it would not hurt to reflect on whether those things genuinely reinforce the priority of Jesus or not.
(Photo by Josh Calabrese on Unsplash)
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 