We Have What They Longed For

If you stop noticing sunsets you quickly forget the wonders that surround you. This is the reality of our ever changing relationship with Jesus. In the carnality of our thinking we lose our spiritual sensitivity and the things of this world look more and more attractive. Before we know it we stop seeing the miracles and signs that surround us; we stop seeing Jesus in our day. We will continue to go through the motions but now it is only religion and the relationship is lost. How can it be?

We are like spoiled children, so use to all our privileges that we lose the wonder of them. Sometimes we need to spend some time in the Old Covenant scriptures to be refreshed in our privileged reality. Psalm 61 is an example of this refreshing. The writer needed help. He needed protection and he sought the Lord. He needed to be encouraged and strengthened. He needed the presence of the Lord:

God, listen to my cry;
    pay attention to my prayer!
When my heart is weak,
    I cry out to you from the very ends of the earth.
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I am
because you have been my refuge,
    a tower of strength in the face of the enemy. (Psalm 61:1-3)

The writer only needed to experience the presence of Yahweh to receive all that he wanted. And when he experienced it he desired never to leave his presence:

Please let me live in your tent forever!
    Please let me take refuge
    in the shelter of your wings! (V. 4)

Unlike this psalmist, this experience is available to us every single day of our lives, all we have to do is open our eyes to it. Jesus never wants us to be outside of the experience of his presence. He is always with us, as he promised, but it is up to us to decide to be sensitive to him. If we keep our mind and heart occupied by the things of this world, things contrary to his character, we will grow insensitive. There is nothing else for it except for us to decide every morning to love him with all our passion and to expect him to do great things through us every day.

We are a privileged people and the psalmist, prophets and all other people found in the old covenant could only dream and long for what is ours every day. So don't waste it. Live for Jesus to the fullest of all your passion and walk with him daily.