The hunger in our eyes...

"You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body."

— C.S. Lewis

Today, Troy and I had the privelege of haning out with a former youth. He has just finished his first year of college, and I got to see that look that I long to see in all the teens that either sit in the chairs on Wedbesday nights, the look I long to see when I have one on one time with a teen, the look I long to see in the teens that have graduated and moved on, the look I long to see in eyes of any believer I spend time with.

The look of, "I am so in love with Jesus that it hurts. I am so in love with Jesus that I cannot stop talking about Him, I am so in love with Jesus that I cannot learn enough about Him, I am so in love with Jesus that,

I need Him-period- He is my everything! So, the question now is, how do I deal with this life, a life of normal living, of everyday tasks, this world's pressures and demands...pleasures and distractions...when all I want is Jesus..."

This quote hits in right on the head...yet we live as though it is the other way around...that we are all about the body...and not about our souls. Yet it is our souls that will continue into the next and not our bodies.

This world SCREAMS--"LISTEN TO ME! WHAT I HAVE FAR OUTWAYS ANYTHING OR ANY OTHER"

Calendars, date books, cell phone scheduled appt. reminders, alarms, email notifications of reminders---

"OF WHAT MUST BE DONE!!!"

Our bodies ache of exhaustion as we toil and sweat and beat our mind, body and spirit to be "this worlds" human body...and all that comes with it. This award, this scholarship, this recommendation, this raise, this promotion, this...this...this...and our bodies simultaneously are dieing...yet this is all we can think of.

Our enjoyments!
Our successes!
Our desires!
Our feelings!
Our accomplishments!
Our....well...you can fill in the blank from here on out...

So, again the question being...how do we live passionately for Christ with all these demands and distractions? Do we throw off all cares and run like the wind and be completely carefree? No, even the Lord Himself cautions us not live like this. He has given us a call in this life, gifts to use, people to reach whatever our occupation may be.

And so He tells us this, "but in everything prayer..."

" 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." Phil. 4

My heart feels the same as this young man...the struggle of just wanting to be with Jesus..to spend all my days surrounded by those who are passionate about the Lord, sharing, praying, worshipping, singing, serving along side them...just for Him...and nothing else...

That is the quest of our maturing...living this life that the Lord has called us to serve Him in...without messing it up with our own agenda's, without filling it up with "this world's stuff for the bodies enjoyment."

Rather filling our souls for eternity's everlasting joy's!

What are you filling your life with? Things that will make your "bodily form" happy...or...as Matt. 6 warns,

"19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal."

Oh for the day that all Christians will actually take the bible seriously...

God Bless