But thanks be to God,
who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to
spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the
pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.
2 Corinthians 2:14-15 NIV
We all have had moments where we haven't had anything to eat
or drink. Some of us get irritable, and
others start to wear down. No matter
what the effect, it all means one thing.
We can't focus on little else other than that feeling of hunger or
thirst. I was reading a prayer from St.
Augustine. It was energizing as he was speaking about how his love for Christ
had blossomed in his early 30s. He said
words that truly resonated with me. As
the prayer ended, it read, “I tasted you, and now I hunger and thirst; you
touched me, and I burned for your peace.” There are times that I did not relate
to God, and I felt lost. However, there was this moment where it all changed,
and I suddenly felt alive. It has
continued to this day, and I could not imagine life without Him.
Our pursuit of God should be filled with passion. As we know relationships take a lot of work. There are days you are tired, and others
where you are frustrated. But when it is
right, there is a level of positivity and connection that is unmatched. In today’s verses, Paul points out that we
are full-fledged possessions of Christ. So
if we are truly representative of Christ, others will be attracted to Him as
well (i.e. spreading the aroma of the knowledge of him). Having the spirit of God in us means there will
be joy in our hearts that is infectious to others. It might draw a smile from some, and others
might even ask why you are so happy. This
is not to say that every day will be that way, but on the days where you are
not, other people notice even more those moments when you are not connected. When we have passion for following Christ, you
will know God is wired into you. And if
we are not feeling wired, we must find ways we to reconnect with Him (worship,
reading scripture, helping others, volunteering, touching base with a spiritual
advisor, etc.).
God intended to have fellowship with us. This means that we should have awareness of
His presence at all times, and be wary when we struggle to have that
connection. God once said to Moses, “I
will indeed do what you have asked, for I look favorably on you, and I know you
by name.” God knows us that way. It is not to say He will look favorably no
matter what we do, but He always knows of us.
Our goal is to pursue Him as passionately as St. Augustine did; to be touched and burn for His peace. Let us not lose sight of that. Where is your passion meter for Christ
today? What disciplines have you
identified as things that increase your awareness of God? My prayer is that we focus intently on God
where we hunger and thirst for Him.
Amen.
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