Finding Our Focus.

Another year of college begins for many of us, and I’m drawn back to a topic I wrote about this time last year, but with new perspective.  As we embark on this new chapter, I challenge you, and I challenge myself with these words. 

A.W. Tozer said, “Outside of the will of God, there's nothing I want, and in the will of God there's nothing I fear." Let that marinate for a moment.  The will of God is perfect.  It’s already anointed and blessed.  When we’re inside of God’s will, there is nothing to fear in any aspect of our lives.   Are our wills in conflict with His perfect will for our lives?  Are we more concerned with pursuing His will or ours?

Especially as college students, we’re like 3 year olds when it comes to relationships most of the time…all we tend to see is how shiny and attractive the idea of possessing a relationship would be, without realizing that it’s a tool that can injure us unless we have the maturity and wisdom to properly handle it.  What most fail to recognize is that they may not be spiritually ready for a relationship.

This is the analogy God has given me:  relationships are like a set of power tools.  In the Kingdom of God, relationships, when orchestrated and centered by God, can be used to build incredible things and serve as vessels of God’s glory.  Here’s the catch though---YOU WOULDN’T GIVE POWER TOOLS TO A 3-YEAR-OLD.

We approach it from the wrong perspective: ours. 

Let’s view this from God’s perspective.  Relationships are gifts, tools, which can be used to bless one another and further God’s Kingdom.  And God desires to give us good gifts; in Matthew 7:11 we find that, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give GOOD things to those who ask Him!”  He wants to give us good gifts, but only if He knows that He can trust us with those gifts.  And personally, I don’t want that gift, especially the gift of a relationship, unless I know He can say to me, “Megan, I trust you; I know your devotion for me is consecrated and unwavering in love.  I’m so proud of what a pure vessel of My light, love and truth that you are.  I want to bless you with this gift, because I know you will treat it as the tool it is and use it to bring Me glory and to further My kingdom.  I entrust this relationship to you and give it My blessing.” 

And honestly, at this point in my life, I want to be more concerned with the hundreds walking around me every day that remain in bondage and torment than with who I may be impressing or attracting.  I want my heart to break for the things that break God’s heart.  I want to burn for what God is passionate about; seeing people set free, made new, restored, filled with joy, transformed by Love.  Just today, the first day of classes, I sat behind a guy who wore a shirt that said, “Change is the only constant.”  How many around us believe this?  GOD is the only constant!  JESUS is peace! And hope! And love! And joy! And truth! 

Sometimes I think we’d rather be known as someone’s significant other, or as a person in a position of authority/power, or as an individual of much talent and fame, rather than known as God’s child, as a follower of Jesus, as a lover of the King.  I’m learning that ultimately, I want my life to be PDA for God, a public display of abandoned affection and worship to the only One who is worthy. 

I want to be known for encountering the authentic love and presence of God.  Just the other night I heard a humble yet wise freshman guy say, “If I go a few days without worshiping Him, my whole world starts to fall apart.”  Are we that intimate with the Lord that we are absolutely crippled apart from Him?  That our souls are left unsatisfied by anything less that His presence and His Word?  Is He our Strength, our Hiding Place, our All-in-All? 

It just makes me sad to see so many students who believe in God settle for less than all of God’s majesty, the fullness of His will and desires for us…we too often close our hands around what we deem to be the epitome of fulfillment, only to find that living in a lifestyle of open hands outstretched to the Father is always the choice of true blessing.

For when we pursue God’s heart and all His heart burns for, we find that we are in His will, and His blessings and gifts always follow in time. 

I challenge you, and I challenge myself, to not necessarily put our desires on the backburner, but to surrender them wholly and lovingly at the feet of Him whose love and will for us will fulfill every one of our desires in the appointed time.  May we fix our eyes on Jesus and all He has His eyes fixed upon.   May we pour our heart’s perfume, love, and worship upon the One who eternally satisfies.  And may we embody His heart to each person we encounter.   

“I want to waste it all on You,

I want to pour my heart’s perfume.

I don’t care if I’m called a fool,

I want to waste it all on You.”

~Chris McClarney, ‘Waste It All.’

“I love You, Lord and I lift my voice to worship You 

O my soul, rejoice.

 Take joy my King in what You hear;

 May it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear.”

~hymn, ‘I Love You Lord”