Crave

Catherine's birthday was last weekend and since we were out of town, I told her we would celebrate with lunch on Monday.

So I invited the usual cousins.  And when Jamie brought the boys over she also brought by two books.  I am not a reader, she is, and when she suggested that she was going to read them both but thought while she was reading the first one that I might enjoy the second one, I was dubious. She said it was a book that might jump start a nutritious life style.  Now why would I want to do that? 

Jamie has pretty much turned her life around in the past seven months.  She is healthy; physically, mentally and spiritually.  She looks great, feels great and has a newly acquired attitude and perspective on life, which she will tell you has grown out of prayerful submission, trust, dependance and faithfulness to God. I don't know why she feels the urge to read this book, "Made to Crave" she is already on board and on track for a healthy lifestyle.  But she heard the author, Lysa Terkeurst, President of Proverbs 31 Ministries,  speak in person, was touched greatly by her message and her candor style of speaking and so she has chosen her books.

So, I decided that if I want my kids to listen to me then I need to make an effort to listen to them, and I started reading it this morning. There surely will be something buried in the words that will stick to my heart and cause me to ponder. I had not yet gotten through the first chapter when the following statements based on the verse:  "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Mark 8:34 were made:

With Jesus, if we want to gain, we must give up.

If we want to be filled, we must deny ourselves.

If we want to truly get close to God, we will have to distance ourselves from other things.

If we want to conquer our cravings, we will have to redirect them to God.  

Well the first line hit a chord.  I mean if this is a book about losing; weight, cravings, etc, then why is the word gain in the first decree?  I paused here and considered what it is that I would gain, if I were to lose the weight or cravings etc.  You don't know til you try.  The promises have been stated in verses through out the bible but until you readily practice the reality of letting something go to see what would replace it, we really never know. I ran across this simple verse, and the great gain is ultimately Godliness and contentment.

1 Timothy 6:5-7

 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

I don't know where this read will take me, but even if I stop here, it is a reminder that if I want o be filled with worthy things, I must release my hold on the unworthy things.  I don't consider things as cravings so much as they just are available and in reach.  But therein lies awareness and discipline, a discipline that encounters a dependence on God and a consciously generated craving for him instead of a lackadaisical reach for worldly offers that provide no real nourishment for the body, mind and soul. 

I do believe that each day God presents before us opportunities for us to know him better, to seek him with a deeper sense of urgency, and to experience his abounding love.  He does it through conversations, through a passing vision, through our senses, through thoughts that go gliding about our minds, through books that someone has presented us with and stories where his hand has been felt and his way has been shown. He does want us to crave him, in a decided way of dependence.

He does want us to loosen our grip on worldly offers, be it food, or stuff, or habits or problems, and set before him a decided

and personal goal to crave him, instead of other things, in spite of other things, and over other things. For there is where we will find contentment and peace and an ultimate joy.  

If this was just the first chapter, chances are that I will find great treasure in reading the rest. Funny how many lessons you can gather from your kids, if you just are open to their suggestions.  (The one before this one was a little less serious; to put neon orange nail polish on my toes, and boy has that worked out great, fun party on my toes. Seriously, it makes me almost laugh every time I get a glimpse of them.)

Dear Lord, Oh how I want to have the desire to crave you above all others things, but that desire is one that I need to be reminded of moment by moment. It has to be a seed that is nourished by your love and my disciplined dependance.  Please nudge me when you find me veering off path and help set me back on your track. Amen