THE FLEET FOX

Warning Sign

 

"And the truth is... I miss you so."

Nicholas L. Laning

Some of the greatest lyrics aren't fancy, they are plain.   They say what people are feeling in ordinary language.  The line above speaks to all of us.  We all miss something, someone, somewhere.  What we miss helps define us.  Just yesterday, I started coming out of a week long drought of the heart (possible sequel to "Total Eclipse of the Heart"?  No.  No one.  Oh okay.  That's cool I just...), and it has been awful.  I have missed being able to feel the presence of God. As I was missing Him, I thought about how God has made us to want Him, to need Him, even if we only know this subconsciously.  

I questioned why He would do that.  At first, my sinful heart thought it petty and cruel to make us need Him.  It seemed odd.  Not but thirty seconds later it dawned on me that us needing God is what makes Christianity different.  We don't follow a system.  We follow and adore a being.  

As a being myself, do I not long to be missed?  Do I not long to want people to be near me?  Surely I do.  I can think of almost nothing more terrible than to have no one in the world that longs to be near me, that treasures me, that is better off when they are near me.  I also long to want to be near people.  I don't want to need everyone the same.  It is the narrowness of my affection that makes giving it so great, what makes it precious.  And so the Holy Spirit has been faithfully and gingerly ministering to me, forgiving me of my own faithlessness and self aggrandizement, freely giving wisdom to see the lies, and faithful to give me courage in the face of lies head on with truth, to obey in trust.

I ask you, do you miss God?  If not, then why?  Do you feel Him unnecessary?  Cruel?  Apathetic?  Without Him, what do you cling to?  Can you live without Him and still find the ultimate purpose you know you need?  Can you still find justice?  

Matthew 22:37 ESV

And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."

May you know God, that you would miss Him.  May you miss Him deeply, more and more each day.  May He be gracious to you, allowing your heart to see that He is good.  May you and I be granted humility, never raising ourselves up, but letting God elevate according to His grace.  May we be instruments of hope and peace throughout the world.  May those who see us, see bits of Him, and yearn for it.  May we bit lit from the inside, and never lose sight of the enemy, never lose courage, and never lose hope in Christ Jesus.  He is surely good.  He is marvelous.  He is gracious.  My heart is thankful for Him, and for you.  He is surely great.  Amen.