High Thoughts

I was challenged this weekend with my thoughts of Jesus while worshipping. I read from my devotional the following..."Our Lord would have all His people rich in high and happy thoughts concerning His blessed person. Jesus is not content that His brethren should think poorly of Him; it is His pleasure that His people should be delighted with His beauty. We are not to regard Him as a bare necessity, like bread and water, but as a luxurious delicacy, as a rare and ravishing delight. To this end He has revealed Himself as the "pearl of great price" in its peerless beauty, as the "bundle of myrrh" in its refreshing fragrance, as the "rose of Sharon" in its lasting perfume, as the "lily" in its spotless purity."

How often I find myself guilty of only regarding Jesus as a need in my life, and not regarding him as the highest of highs, the Exalted One, the Risen Savior seated at the right hand of God the Father in heaven. I was encouraged by the difference in my worship last night with Emmaus Road as Brandon and I led the group in songs. Thinking upon Jesus this way changes how we sing, how we feel, how we are amazed at Christ's character. It helped me bring the reality of who Jesus is into my effort to lead corporate worship.

As another note of encouragement...last night we had some folks come from a house church in Superior to our ER gathering. The group included some pre-teen girls who simply blew me away with their wisdom and inquiring atttitude. Molly, one of the girls asked Josh (our co-pastor) during the kids challenge, "So, what makes God special to us?" WOW! I was blown away at her transparency and honest interest in God. I've never once met an adult with the courage to ask that question in a group worship time. Then, Kate, another young lady, answered a question posed by Kris (our pastor) regarding people and their stronghold on possessions, "When people start to get things, they start needing to have something better and better...they work to earn possessions and then they are never satisfied with what they get and want more." This came from a girl that couldn't have been a day over 12. I only wish I could've expressed myself with that kind of wisdom at her age! I see God working in so many ways in my life. He even teaches me and shapes me through young children. So encouraging...

So, what's the point of all this? It's simple...when my thoughts of Christ are high and lofty, I am brought closer to him. When I am brought closer to him, I think upon things that matter, not myself. When I am not thinking about myself, I am ready and able to be taught. When I am ready to be taught, God teaches me so much about who he is and his desires (Isa 55:8). Those lessons don't just come from my pastor, my readings or my adult friends. Those lessons show up in my life through every circumstance, even in a conversation with a child.

Look for God today. Look at him the way he should be looked upon. Then, look for him in your everyday life. Look for Jesus in the surrounding beauty. Look for him in the morning sunrise. Look for him in your co-workers. Look for him in your daily provision (yes, that sandwich came from God). Look for him in the eyes of a homeless man needing a conversation. Look for him everywhere. Don't see him? Crack open the Word, study his truth, pray for wisdom, then get up tomorrow and try again. I doubt you will struggle to find him. In fact, I know you won't...

--Peter

Pic: Devil's Thumb - Boulder, CO