So That The Obvious Can Finally Be Found

Returning from a business trip last night I dropped off a co-worker at our office parking lot and headed home. I decided I wanted to listen to some music and the local Christian radio station was playing a genre of music that my late son used to like to listen to that is not exactly my taste in music. I decided to listen to a CD and put in “Aware” by Salvador. I love this group not only for their lyrical and musical talent, but also for their worship of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The title song is the fourth song on the CD and when it came on, although I’ve heard it numerous times, I was actually listening to it for the first time. I was listening with my whole being instead of just my body. This song ministered to my soul and spirit. It starts out:

    Even in the little things
    That never seem too big to me
    And the things I thought didn’t matter much at all
    As simple as my daily bread to the strength I need to get out of bed
    When I fly, or when I’m bound to fall.
    Oh it’s you, in me that I fail to see.

How is it that I fail to see Jesus in me? Why do I believe that any of the good in me is because of me? The evidence is piled high against me just by looking at my track record of trying to go through this workaday world in my own strength and comparing it to my life when I get out of the way and let Him have His way. That is clearly a sign of spiritual immaturity.

    “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:12-14)

What could be worse then not having solid food and living only on milk? It would be having had solid food and then returning to a diet of only milk. Dear Christian that is what you and I do when we decide to skip our Bible time, to go to our prayer closet, and to worship our Lord Jesus Christ in word and deed. When we are satisfied with a diet of two or three hours of church a week, a quick devotional in the morning, and maybe listening to Christian music on the way to work, and sending quick prayer faxes to Heaven, beloved we are living on spiritual milk.

We marvel at an unbeliever’s refusal to accept the gospel and surrender their lives to Jesus and yet the Apostle Paul tells us:

    “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” (Romans 10:3-4)

“…to everyone who believes.” So why don’t they believe? Again…

    “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18)

A spiritually lost person will wander in his or her own self-righteousness but we who claim Christ have had the righteousness of Jesus imputed into our lives.

    “It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.” (Romans 4:24-25)

We who are on a spiritual diet of solid food…we know all of this. So why do we go back to our diet of spiritual milk? Because I am not yet aware, I have yet to come to grips with the truth that this world is not about me. That a relationship with Jesus is not about me; it is about Him. And usually that awareness does not come until my world is turned upside down by some calamity, which of itself is not a bad thing because going through perseverance can bring a closeness to Jesus almost unmatched by other life events. However it does not have to take that to bring us close to Christ. We can desire Him in a way that will bring the awareness that almost seems to make us masters of the obvious once we’ve found it.

The chorus in the song “Aware” is what finally brought the song home to my heart:

    Make me aware, make me see
    That everything I am is not all about me
    So take my world, turn it around
    So that the obvious can finally be found
    Make me aware, make me aware

Are you aware or is everything that you are all about you?

Have you found the obvious or does God need to turn your world around?

Have you come to the end of the law of righteousness which is Jesus Christ or are you still seeking to establish your own righteousness?

What have you done with the gospel? Have you shared it with someone lately? Do you take it for granted daily? Or have you rejected it recently? Please remember:

“We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:1-2)

Regardless your spiritual situation, I pray for you and me that the obvious is finally found. That Jesus Christ reigns supreme in your life and in my life.

Jesus is the obvious and so I wish you Jesus.

Have a restful and blessed weekend and please remember to go to church on Sunday.

In Christ
Dave
Ps. 37:4

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    Copyright © 2009 David Jeffers

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