Lately I've been craving so many things--mostly an effective escape from what my deepest craving (for God) would point me to. Wow. How dumb is that?? Yet, admittedly, that's about where I'm at. Even seeking God as I also feebly attempt to do, I am not really going to Him on His terms--surrendering my will/desires to His good purposes. Maybe that's because I'm not really trusting that His purposes are better than mine. I allow myself to get distracted by sources of immediate gratification, and I stop just off of the Straight and Narrow to get some sustenance in easy, worldly ways... which tends to pull me in and make me want more of that type of sustenance, even though more and more and more of that type of sustenance would yet never truly be satisfying. It's quite a mystery to me, frankly, why I turn to the right or the left for temporary fulfillment, when I have a bottle of Living Water that goes with me all the time. If I need to pause for refreshment, He's all I need... I have no business chasing after things that will get me nowhere but into a mess of frustrated misery and depression. The Living Water is really all I need for this life-long journey that stretches out straight in front of me. I can only see the part of the path that is right in front of me, but as I continue to stay on the path, he stretches it out before me, step-by-step. If I veer off to the right or the left, it only slows me down and wastes time. This is evidenced by the fact that whenever I take a good long drink of the Living Water again, I no longer desire the side-of-the-road attractions. The Water I carry with me is completely satisfying and fulfilling, and I truly need nothing else. It's encouraging to have others join me on the path, and the generous blessings of additional delights/pleasures are enjoyable and beautiful also. However, the pleasures I tend to crave from the side of the road are mere cheap imitations, at best, of the bountiful treasures God has in store, which are beyond my ability to imagine or ask for. There is an inheritance I will receive when I reach the very end of the path, and He gives me little tastes of that inheritance early while I travel to encourage me and strengthen me on my journey. In fact, the best part is that Living Water. And along with my water bottle, I have a Friend who walks with me. He stays very close to me--closer than a brother, in fact. Since He has walked a very similar path before and struggled with His own fleshly desires for off-the-path adventures, His selfless ministry to me is such an encouragement, as He nourishes my soul with His presence and His time-tested words of Truth. He reassures me that the wisdom He speaks is pure Truth, and that the only way to finish the journey well is to keep walking straight ahead, taking long, satisfying gulps of the Living Water, relying on His Faithful companionship, and conforming my pace to His own, while heeding His sustaining Words of instruction and encouragement and maintaining open communication with Him about the journey as we walk side-by-side. I know I couldn't walk it alone, let alone run! Still, if I remember that He is with me, and I trust that He is there and sufficient to satisfy my needs and desires, this could be a really cool trip! :) The joy in the journey has a lot to do with who you've got as a travel buddy; in my case, I think this adventure could be great--even good and joyful--no matter what direction the path turns. Just gotta remember to stay on it--do not turn right, do not turn left, do not pass 'GO', do not collect $200... "Just keep swimming"--er, walking--straight ahead!
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