If you have been in my home, you may remember that I really don’t have a theme as far as my decorating. I pretty much have things on the walls and sitting around that I like…regardless of whether they all flow together or not. I’ve heard people say that their style of decorating is country, or modern, or eclectic, or traditional or mid-century modern…my style is just me! I really don’t care if it is the latest fashion or not…I just want to feel comfortable with it and I want my home to feel comfortable to those who visit.
My decorating includes several scenery pictures on my wall that I really like, but there is one that has a very special meaning to us. A dear friend of ours painted this picture that I’m sharing with you today. While I’m sure we would love it if we just saw it in a store, it has a much deeper meaning to us because the artist is someone that we know. We have spent time with him and we know him fairly well, so when he gave it to us it immediately became a prized possession of ours.
The photographs I have in my home of my family also mean the world to me. Looking at them brings me comfort, happiness and a feeling of contentment. Why? Because I know those in the photos really well and oh, I love them so. I have spent hours and hours with them and have desired to know everything about them. I could put pictures of your family throughout my house and while I would think they were really nice…I wouldn’t have the same feelings when I looked at them as I do with my own family. I know my family intimately because I have spent lots of time with them and I am closely related to them. If I ever feel distant from them, it is usually because I haven’t spent quality time with them recently.
All of these pictures mean so much to me because I have a close relationship with those pictured and with the artist of the picture. I was thinking about all of this as I cleaned our home this past weekend. As I worked, I eyed my Bible and it got me thinking about the times when my Jesus feels distant to me. Those times when I feel alone and I become discouraged. Is that because He has left me, or is it maybe because I haven’t spent quality time with Him for a while? Have I been reading His Word because I truly want to know Him intimately, or am I just skimming the words to be able to mark it off my to-do list?
I am the daughter of the author of this precious book and so it should be my desire to know everything about Him. I should know Him so well that I should feel comfortable in His presence as I share with Him and He shares with me. Being with my Jesus should bring me comfort, happiness and a feeling of contentment; but none of that will happen unless I desire to know everything about Him and want to live my life according to His instructions.
When you enter my home, I’m guessing it won’t take you long to know how much I love my family because of everything I have displayed. But since I know I must love my Jesus more, I’m realizing that you should notice something more. My goal needs to be that above all, you sense my love for my Jesus. I want you to sense that the Holy Spirit lives in me and through me. If you don’t…then I have failed.
I have a long way to go to be the follower of Jesus that He wants me to be. I know I need to spend more time in His Word…devouring His ways so that they become my ways. Since He is my Father, I want to learn everything that He wants to teach me. I’m definitely a work in progress and I hope you will keep me accountable to live according to His ways. I think we all need to support each other and encourage each other on our journey because we are all in His family together. And I just can’t help but think that maybe when we get to heaven and see the home that He has prepared for us…there just might be pictures of us displayed for all to see. Why? Because we are His children and oh, He loves us so!
“So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding.”
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