To me, one of
the most insulting behaviours is when I am speaking to someone who keeps
looking away as if what I am saying (or I myself) is not worth their
attention. If it happens rarely, that is
one thing, but there have been particular people that did it most of the time. Of course, they could also be looking at the
clock constantly, just zone out into their own contemplation, or allow other
people to keep interrupting them with what must be more significant matters
than me. All of that makes me feel like
they think I am not important enough to listen to.
I wonder
sometimes if God feels that way with us.
I know I struggle in that area far too often. Wake up, exercise, kids to school, eat, God
time now-right? Oh wait, first I have to
do this and that then… The truth is that I don’t always put God
first. Sometimes computer work (or
play), puzzles, tv or other unnecessary things get in the way. It is so bad some days that I insist on
getting dishes (from the night before) done instead of spending time with the
Lord. How sad is that? It’s like I’m treating everything and
everyone as more important than Him.
(about the
exodus Israelis) “But,” God says, “I was very angry with them, for their
hearts were always looking somewhere else instead of up to me, and they never
found the paths I wanted them to follow.”
Beware then or your own hearts, dear brothers, lest
you find that they, too, are evil and unbelieving and are leading you away from
the living God. Heb. 3:10,12 TLB
In the past I
have done some bashing (in my thoughts) of the Israelis who left Egypt after
seeing such great miracles yet still had unbelief and no understanding of
God. Now I often wonder at how much I am
like them. Just like their hearts were
always looking somewhere else instead of God, so it is the same with man. We tend to look at everything around us
instead of the God who made it all. We tend
to place more importance on that which we see, and quite frankly, are temporal.
because we do not look for things that can be seen
but for things that cannot be seen. For things that can be seen are temporary,
but things that cannot be seen are eternal. 2Cor. 4:18 ESV
But seek first the kingdom
of God and His righteousness… Mt.
6:33
looking to Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith…
Heb. 12:2
I wonder what
God would say to me if I asked Him what He thinks- about how I treat Him as
unimportant sometimes. Truth is, I don’t want to ask because I probably won’t
like the answer. Then again, I’m me, and
now that I’ve thought about the question, I’ll almost certainly ask even if it
hurts, because in the end I do want a better relationship with the Lord… no matter the cost.
Oh Lord, give me the courage to ask You all
the things I may not want to hear answers to.