Take Time to Think

Does God sometimes seem unreal to you?  Maybe not quite unreal, but abstract.  It's almost like, we know God, but we don't recognize His Presence in our world.  We forget or neglect the fact that He is with us, in us and surrounding us all the time.  It's so much easier for the tactile world to be more real to us than the Lord Himself because it's easily touched, seen and felt.   Our human senses are tuned into the reality around, and we forget to use our spiritual senses.  Our spiritual eyes are weak because we live by what we can see.  The Lord warned us of this in Romans 8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. and in 2 Corinthians 5:7 For we live by believing and not by seeing.

I've been convicted of this lately.  Of neglecting to see God around me.  Of forgetting He is here and more real than anything I can see of this world.  I've been reminded that everything in this world is fading day by day.   And so the Holy Spirit has led me to some "exercises" to strengthen my spiritual eyes.  

Firstly we need to make spending time with the Lord our number one priority.  No matter where we are in life, that is our greatest need.  And whether you can take ten minutes or three hours, He needs to have that number one spot in your day.  So we work out with the Lord how that is to look in our lives.  A retired person is not going to have the same responsibilities as a single parent.  Every life is different and the Lord will work with us where we are.  

Secondly, and this is where the Holy Spirit is really working with me, is focus exercises.  When I go outside, I breath the air, I see the sky, the grass and the sun, the trees and the roads.  All this is created by God.  I remind myself of that.  I focus on His wisdom and creativity in making creation.  I remember His care of each detail.  And He's adding something new to that....His detailed, individual care of me.

Whether we are living in the country or the city or somewhere in between...all of it is created and sustained by God.  The materials for those skyscrapers came from our Father's creation.  That sun shines on the urban, suburban and rural areas alike.  If we are homebound, we can look to our homes, our running water, heat and electricity.  That chair you sit down on, yup, all those atoms and the spaces in between made by our awesome God.   We have our own bodies...fearfully and wonderfully and complexly made by a master scientist.  The colors of clothing we wear made by an artistic genius.  The cloth woven by the most skilled craftsman.  Cells, atoms, protons, electrons....all God!   And remember His love in all of this....He designed us to be loved by Him.  He is the most loving of Beings.  

The point is.  Take notice.  Take time to think about the One behind it all.  And remember, He is sustaining it all by His great power.  Our Father is sustaining us by His great power and love.  Try doing these exercises for yourself.  See how much more aware you become of our Savior's Presence.  How much more real He becomes day by day as your "work out" your spiritual eyes!

Lord, thank You for these exercises You have brought to my life.  And thank You for the internet with which I can share them.  I pray that we all get stronger and stronger in our spirits as we take time to focus and lift our eyes to You.  And we give You thanks and praise for all things.  In Jesus' most present Name.  Amen.  

Start a new exercise program today.