I'm relaxing in God's presence, feeling tired after an extremely wind swept walk on the Downs and thinking about something Pete said while we were out. How do we know when the activities and things that we enjoy in life become more important to us than they should be? Sometimes it's not until the good things are stripped away that we realise that there's nothing more important than our relationship with the Lord Himself. Without my home, my family, my friends, my health, my possessions, my talents, my church, my work, my hobbies, my music........ what's left? What will be left when I am on my death bed? All that will be important will be my friendship with Jesus.
A song which comes to mind is 'Heart of Worship' by Matt Redman. It starts like this:
'When the music fades and all is stripped away and I simply come.' This is just the bare bones of who I am.....no frills. It goes on:
'You search much deeper within, through the way things appear - you're looking into my heart.'
and 'I'm coming back to the heart of worship and it's all about you, Jesus.'
Lord, I'm so happy that you love the real me, not necessarily the image I portray of myself to the world. In your presence I can be myself and know that I am accepted....and loved.
Thank you Shirley - that's a good thought to start my week .... I don't wish to be defined but what I do, what I own or even by what I may have been gifted with but it is very easy to slip into those ways and make them too precious in our eyes .... I want to be defined by my love for Jesus and an undying faith in Him.
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