Made for forever.

"If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world."

- C.S. Lewis in "Mere Christianity"

"The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." John 12:25

As we read John 12 in College Fellowship this morning, verse 25 struck me with such a new intensity. It seems almost harsh to "hate" our life, but I admit with the thoughts and cares of this world that seem to easily entice and ensnare me, it seems almost necessary to completely abhor this world and its pleasures, just to remain beyond its treacherous grasp. However, there are times when words and connotations of Biblical times get lost in translation. For instance, in this case, "to hate [one's life]" is a Semitic expression with the connotation of giving one thing preference over another (see MacArthur's commentary on the subject). I remember struggling with this meaning of "hate," especially when it came to verses like Luke 14:26 : “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple."

So I was much relieved to hear that this does not mean that I need to utterly despise my family (this might even sound contradictory to the fifth commandment of honoring thy father and mother), and quite honestly, I constantly rejoice over the life that God has graciously given me and the daily blessings He bountifully supplies. Nevertheless, perhaps such austere language is necessary to understand the cost and sacrifice of what it truly means to be a disciple of Christ. Matthew 10:37-39 might provide a much clearer interpretation: "Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it."

That being better understood, I must ask myself:

Am I taking up my cross?

Have I allowed the world and its pleasures to cloud my vision of what happiness really is?

Have I forgotten about true joy in the Lord?

Have my possessions, goals, plans, and desires taken priority over the Lord's will for my life?

Would I be willing to give up everything - all I have - if God called me to do it? Or am I much too attached?

Am I fixed on an eternal perspective, or have I preoccupied myself with what is within my limited, human scope?

Admittedly, I find myself constantly craving more of this world - money, power, prestige - and filled with worldly ambition. But instead of asking myself how I can obtain these things, perhaps the better question would be, "What for?" Why exhaust my efforts on the finiteness of self, when I can invest in eternity by using all and giving all for the glory of God and bringing others to Him?

Thus, I was not made for here. I was made for forever. & He's coming back to take me there.

Is God Happy When We're Happy?

I learn a lot from Facebook statuses.
Whether it be verses, quotes from pastors, evangelists, theologians, devotionals, or just practical (sometimes unbiblical) "self-theology," I find myself interested in what other people think about God, His character, and His will. I am not looking for debate or even affirmations of validity, but sometimes I will take each thought as a challenge to my own beliefs, as I force myself to evaluate what I myself believe to be Biblical. (For those who I have on Facebook, I hope this does not make you feel self-conscious or want to de-friend me. I am much more concerned about the thoughts expressed - not really the people who expressed them.) I try to be critical with the thought, not the person. The last thing I'd want is for people to think I'm judging them based on something as frivolous as a Facebook status!

However, sometimes I'll come across famous, bumper sticker ones (e.g. "Everything happens for a reason."), laments over loved ones (e.g. "I really miss her, but God must have needed her in heaven and that's why He took her life today." and "R.I.P. ___! I know today you are sitting at the right hand of God!") or those which display the proliferation of deceit caused by the prosperity gospel (e.g. "If it matters to me, it matters to God. So God, c'mon and put some money in my account so I can get my new car, homie!").

Today, a fellow sister in Christ posted up a Facebook status this morning that really got me thinking. (Yes, I find status updates posted by Christians much more thought-provoking!)
She wrote, "People do what make them happy. Christians do what make GOD happy." I rolled the idea around in my head for quite a while, and it seemed about right. I was not entirely sure of how I felt. I began to think... Yes, we should live submissively to the will of God, even at the cost of our own happiness and desires! Yes, our only desire should be to please our Lord, and that in itself should make us happy - the only thing that makes us happy! Is pleasing God the same as making Him happy? Perhaps it's just semantics... Am I making Him happy? Am I, a sinful human, even capable of making Him happy? Of what consequence are my actions to His emotions? Does He have emotions?...And on and on...

It was in this train of thought that I stumbled across just what I needed from one of my favorite sources for devotionals: Ligonier.org.
Today's note just so happened to be entitled, "Is God Happy When We're Happy?" (Click to read it for yourself!) and I felt that it succinctly and truthfully answers this question.

So, of course, I shared it with this sister. She then replied, "I always wonder about God's happiness... you know how the Bible says "Jesus wept" but not that Jesus smiled? Thats where I wonder how happy or unhappy He could be...." & This in turn got me thinking deeper...
Here is my reply:

I definitely get what you mean, though. It's hard for me to fathom the emotions of our infinite God, whose ways are greater than our ways and thoughts higher than our thoughts. All I can hope is that I please Him, and that doing His will would be my source of delight and my heart's sole desire. It's true that happiness comes from obedience and we continually praise God with the joy of our salvation, despite trials and tribulations. --But it is much easier said than done!

I really like that verse: "Jesus wept." (John 11:35) It's so beautiful and profound. That Christ, our Savior and Lord of the universe, graciously and humbly clothed Himself in frail humanity in order to save us... It truly baffles me - and humbles me at the same time. I think the verse beautifully shows how the Word became flesh and walked among us. We witness such a human, fleshly emotion being expressed by our glorious, holy God... Fully God, yet coming in the form of a man.

& I think perhaps Jesus's time on earth was marked by sadness because He knew that His death and resurrection were necessary in order to atone for our sins. Yet even His knowledge of this is another indication of His deity! But above all, He submits to the will of the Father, no matter how painful. He humanly cries out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46) during His excruciating crucifixion, and yet we know that He came to earth specifically for that: to accomplish His Father's will. "For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me... For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” (John 6:38,40) & I am sure that the Father was well-pleased in this humble obedience, just as I am sure it pleased Jesus to do the will of the one who sent Him. In the same way that Christ selflessly and humbly submitted to the will of the Father, so too should it be for those who call themselves His followers, who love Him and call Him their Lord.

...God is happy when we are happy - only when we are happy to obey all that He commands.