Reflections on the Quest: From the heart

I wrote from the heart recently while I was in the heart of Northgate Mall (Chattanooga, TN).

For some reason, I was spent. I had to sit down and let others do the rest of the shopping.  Rather than scroll through Facebook yet again, I decided to write what was circulating in the back of my mind that afternoon. I hope you find it helpful in your striving for reality–the quest I remain on.  That day–July 25–I wrote:

Paul’s boast of Christ being his center (For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain) resonates more and more with me as I both age physically and mature spiritually. I so want to be able to honestly repeat Paul’s statement but I don’t feel it is true for me yet. One day, in glory, it will be the true sentiment of my heart and that of all of God’s people. In the meantime, I am called to make progress. I am commanded to seek God’s face, to draw near to Him through the of the means of grace (prayer, Bible reading and study, church involvement, Lord’s Supper, etc). Thus I have labored to be faithful in these activities since the Holy Spirit breathed life into my spiritually dead bones. For those many hours and days, I am grateful for God’s amazing grace. It is a glorious saving as well as a sanctifying grace. And, it has been absolutely needed in my life.

Should the Lord be pleased to continue to allow me to remain here for the benefit of my wife and children and others, I will continue drawing near to the throne of grace so that His image might more and more be reflected in me and that I might find the grace and strength I need to bless people and prepare for my life or eternity with Him. But should the Lord call me home to the better country I am seeking, I will rejoice that because of Him, and through Him, this saint has persevered to the end. On that day, I will be standing in His glorious presence without fear due to the righteousness of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Then I will look forward, not back, entrusting my loved ones to the unending love of God and I will enjoy the Triune God with sinless affections, unhindered emotions, and a mind capable of apprehending divine truths as never before. What a transformation that will be! What a day of rejoicing!