“Filtering out external distractions will help you focus on what God wants to tell you” (Peter Lord).
Several years ago, Mark and I went on a mission trip to Argentina. I will never forget that trip for several reasons, and most of them have to do with airplane mechanical issues, but I’ll not go there. It might inhibit you from answering God’s call to go on a mission trip! Back to Argentina! Our church always assigned a staff pastor to be in charge of each trip, and this one was no different. We arrived and were escorted to the hotel, and there in the lobby he gave us our instructions. Typical of most South American countries, we were not to drink the local water. We were told that the church had shipped bottles of water ahead for us. I am an avid water drinker, drinking more than the average person, so I was grateful to hear that we had pure water to drink.
After four days of ministering, we were told that we were out of bottled water and would have to purchase our own. I went looking for a store and found a “quick” stop two doors down. I made a desperate attempt to communicate with the clerk to find out if the water in the bottles was pure. “Si, pure. Si.” So, I bought several bottles and headed back to my room. Some, I drank that afternoon and others were saved for the following day. I was so incredibly thirsty. The water I thought would satisfy, didn’t!
The following day I rose, got ready and attempted to put on my shoes. My feet were so swollen; I could hardly get them on. Then I struggled to place my wedding ring on my finger. Suddenly, it dawned on me to look at the ingredients listed on the bottle of water. Pure! It was pure alright, pure SALT! The sodium levels were unbelievable. I questioned the clerk at the front desk about the local bottled water and he informed me that in order to have “drinkable” water, to purify it, they used sodium. Amazing!
The water I thought would satisfy my thirst didn’t! In fact, it made me much thirstier! That’s the way it is when we seek after “things” that we feel will satisfy, but in the end, they leave us thirstier! We add activities, commitments, and purchase more and more “things” thinking these will satisfy. What we end up with is chaos – personal and spiritual. When we seek to quench our thirst with anything other than Christ, we will have chaos and disorder in our lives. Only Christ can satisfy and only He can bring calm into our lives.
“Knowing that intimacy can never be hurried and rushed, you set a time in your life for meeting with God and make it of primary importance” (Peter Lord).
God desires to spend time with us. He requests that we make time for him in our daily lives. When I choose, because it is a choice, to meet with my heavenly Father each day in my corner chair, listening for His voice and drinking from the well of living water, I am satisfied. My day is placed in order and the chaos that often invades my life is stilled!
Choosing time with Him over activities, things, and busyness will result in a life deeply satisfied with His presence, peace, joy, and love.
“Future fruit is always the result of present obedience” (Priscilla Shirer).
dianne