Sunday, January 24, 2016

above all else

We're reading A Year with C.S. Lewis. Today we read the January 24 excerpt.

Lewis today points out that seeking the comfort of Christianity will not get you truth, comfort, or salvation. But seeking God first will get you all three. He says that we have to seek truth first, but what he means is, we have to seek Truth first. And as you know, Jesus said He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

So that simplifies our puzzle. The puzzle being, what does it really MEAN to seek first the kingdom of God? We're told in the NT to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to us. But how do we seek first His kingdom?

Well, as we hear from Lewis, we do it by seeking the Truth. Which means seeking Jesus.

When I was in the Jesuits, my spiritual director gave me some really great advice. He was teaching me about prayer, and he kept telling me to "get closer to Jesus." So in my prayer, I would take walks with Him and ask Him questions. I went to the cross and saw Him there. I felt Him when He was resurrected. I got as close to Jesus as I could. And He changed me.

When I left the Jesuits (I was called to marriage), the same spiritual director continued to meet with me and give me counsel regarding my spiritual life. He assigned me to pray for 30 minutes every day. So he pushed me back to Jesus, and I've spent 30 minutes to an hour every day for the last couple years walking and talking with Him. It has transformed me.

Seek Jesus. Find Him. And everything your heart desires, what you TRULY desire, will come to you. He gave you those desires. He will fulfill them.

Don't know how to seek Him? Ask. Pray and let Him know you want to know Him better. You better believe that's a prayer He'll answer.

God, thank You for being there for us to discover.

1 comment:

Julie said...

And it shows in your life........the closer we are to Him and the more we spend time with Him the world seems less important or stressful.