As I stood beside the placid tabletop of the local pond this morning my thoughts were calmed. The sounds all about were peaceful as well, with some sweet chirps from small birds in the woods behind and a few "blips and blurps" from fish breaking the surface to snare an insect for breakfast. Mr. Eagle made a brief appearance but shyly flew away from where I was standing. I've learned to read the birds from their flight and the eagle has powerful, and yet graceful, wing strokes. A young heron flew toward me, enjoying the freedom and sense of dominion that must come from looking down on his world. This lovely experience turned my thoughts to the value of time versus the value of possessions. I can give my time to accumulate possessions...in fact a lot of my time is spent paying for the possessions I already possess. But what happens to these possessions? Of course they all eventually wear out...just as I will physically wear out. When I value time more than possessions then experience begins to satisfy more than ownership. It seems that when I invest time in the experiences of living...I become more available to experience the living God. It occurred to me that the natural world was created for two reasons: first that we might see God in the work of His hands and, second, that we might experience Him. I realized that the pride and ambition we allow to rule us screens us from these purposes. When we are born again through Christ we are set free from the control of possessions and the ambition of controlling others that our time might be spent experiencing God and appreciating the experience of His care. Investing our time to get better acquainted with him here and now must surely be better preparation for our life with Him in the place beyond beyond possessions and past the reach of time!
Luke 12: 15 And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses."
blessings,
Rob Smith
No comments:
Post a Comment