Desiring God.

When I'm hungry - really hungry - I head to the fridge. I don't easily get distracted by people, pets, to do lists, thoughts...

What about when I'm headed to God for nourishment?

Do I get distracted? By life?

How silly, when God is my life...

I think this, desiring God - needing Him with single-minded focus - is the connecting thread between everything floating around in my head the last few weeks. 

I've been reading John - the gospel that is devoted to God's love to us. I've been reading and listening to Francis Chan and Ann Voskamp, who are both devoted to working out God's love and grace in the everyday moments of life.
I've had the following things on a sticky note, things that I've been thinking about, things like pursuing the path of peace, healing the hurting, the 'least of these,' "God working with them."
I've heard two sermons, completely independent, on marriage, and how focusing on God together is the way to grow together - not by focusing more on each other, but more on God.

And I think the common thread in all of this is the need to have a complete, overwhelming, and all-consuming desire for God.

A desire to live each day, each moment, in light of His grace.

How does this work itself out?

Mark 16:20 says "And they went out and preached every where, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen." 

Amen. So be it. 

The Lord working with them.

I think that is so very powerful. They went praising God and preaching, not in their own power, but in the power of God... Father, Son, and Holy Spirit giving them what they needed to spread Truth and share God's love. 

Are we called to any less? Although not necessarily in the same way, we too are called to share God's love, the Lord working with us. Us working with the Lord. 

Pursue the path of peace. That's something my dad used to always say. You see, when I was in high school, I would get so frustrated, because I wanted to get it right, to please God, but I felt that He just didn't give me enough ground rules. I wanted writing up in the sky saying, "Sarah - do A, B, and C." Dad said that God's peace is a form of His voice. 

God promises peace; therefore, when He grants that, I can take that as affirmation that I am following His will. But I must be desiring God to have that peace. It won't come any other way. 

The path of peace is the path that follows God and walks with Him. That takes who He has made me and the hurts of this world and speaks to my heart saying, "Sarah, love them as I love you. In my love. In my peace."

I'll give you my own example - what is on my heart. 

Healing the hurting... the least of these. 

This one lies so heavy in me. It is a refrain that has played through my life, a thread that is woven in my being. My heart yearns to see brokenness redeemed. Katie, author Kisses from Katie, moved to Uganda and adopted fourteen orphan girls as her own. She says that caring for the broken is not a request - it is a requirement! It is sobering, but true. Jesus says this so many times! The Bible talks a lot about 'the least of these.' Jesus, specifically, uses the term. He talks about not making them stumble. About not forbidding them to come to Him. About how loving them is like loving Him ("For whatever you have done for the least of these, you have done for me.") What you have done for these, you have done for me. Wow. Big responsibility. Big opportunity. God takes this seriously. 

In my heart, I know this is true. I pursue the path of peace in seeing brokenness restored. 

But this healing of brokenness has to come from God. The inner yearning to see redemption comes from desiring God. 

I won't have a desire for others, a love for others, a connection with others, if I don't have a desire, a love, a connection with God. 

He has to be the starting point. Only then will I know how to work out my calling in bringing God's kingdom in the world. 

Only by desiring Him in my every day life, will I know how to work out His Truth in my every day life.

I want to know Him. His will in everything. His heart. For me. For others. To show and love and share. To take that desire, and to follow Him, for I know that while it takes sacrifice and surrender, only then do I find true joy and love and life. In Him.