Right into the Heart

Posted on by stevenlucht1

Sunday mornings are by far one of my favorite mornings. Now don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy sleeping in, however this morning was a little different.

You see, I’ve been reading this book by Francis Chan: Crazy Love. This morning I really wanted to get through another chapter before going to church. There were some amazing quotes in there. As I was reading Francis Chan’s book, I couldn’t help but think about being called home. No, I’m not talking about my parents house or any other place that is close to my heart, but to my Heavenly Home.

The thought stayed with me as I went to church. Do I really desire to go home? I thought about it plenty of times before. The obvious answer that comes to my head is “DUH”! Then my mind starts thinking about all the things that I want to do in my life yet. The thought of eventually getting married, raising a family, being in the ministry… the list goes on.

…In other words, I wasn’t ready…

So, I went to church and sat down in the usual spot and looked up front to see that today was the day we were to take communion. I bowed my head and prayed that God would put my heart in the right spot and that I would be only focused on Him. It took a couple of songs but eventually my heart was falling in love with the songs that were being sung.

One of the points the pastor made was “Jesus is our bridegroom”. Now most of us have heard that so many times, but today it struck me in a different way. The verse he read with that was Ephesians 5:25-27. It’s a wonderful description of what Christ did for us!

I got up and took a piece of the bread and juice then took my seat. In my head the thought of us being God’s bridegroom overwhelmed me. That someday I will be with the one that died for me. The celebration that us, the Church, will be forever with our Savior.

All the thoughts of wanting to control my life and wanting all the things in life were gone… All I could think of was that I want to be with Him. It was amazing…

Have you ever had those times? Where nothing in the world matters but God! I couldn’t help but have my eyes water (obviously because the room was dry and I was deeeefinitely not tearing up…) and picture myself in the presence of God. GOOSEBUMPS!

I most definitely walked away that day more in love with God than I did walking in. I pray that more people feel the same way. To fall more in love with the one that loves us more than this temporary world could ever give us. Too many of us are falling into this world and not focusing on falling in love with God.

 

 

This past week we had a fairly good size snow storm. I decided that the day after the storm to go our cross country skiing by a lake. As I was driving down the hill going toward the lake the trees were just covered with snow. It was spectacular. Parking my car I got my skis on and headed off onto a trail into the woods.

…It took my breath away…

No joke. There were times where I couldn’t breath I was in so much awe of how beautiful it was. I’ve seen plenty of trees and woods that was just covered in snow, but it was as if it were the first time I ever saw this. I started giggling like a kid I was so in awe of God. Falling in love with what He has created for our enjoyment.

I need to have this same mentality toward Christ. When I come into worship and sing praises to Him or see the beauty around me to really start praising God as if it were the first time. To truly be in awe of God and to fall deeply in love with Him.

I can’t wait to be home with Him someday… to be His bridegroom…

It’s His Glory

Posted on by stevenlucht1

It’s one of my favorite times to be sitting outside. A small breeze rushing past you while the sun is slowly going over the horizon. Listening to the birds singing their songs that God designed them to do. The occasional rabbit skipping across the yard looking for shelter. This is my favorite time of the day.

This is the time of day that you can really look around at the amazing creations that God has made for our enjoyment. It’s the time of day that you can spend hours enjoying. You want to rest your eyes but there is so much going on around you that at times you keep them open to get the best of both worlds.

It’s this very time of day that I enjoy reflecting on all that God has created for me. Whether this creation is my family He has provided for me, or all that I am surrounded with in nature.

Isn’t it amazing that God created all this in just six days! Shoot, I have a hard time creating a hot pocket in the microwave without it exploding. Just to think that God created all this that we see around us.

From the bleeding hearts (a flower) to the magnificent oak tree. God created these for our enjoyment. The bleeding heart is one of my favorite flowers. It has a vivid pink color to them with a design that looks like a heart you would typically draw on a paper. I love the way God created this flower.

We look around in this world and see some incredible sights. From the Grand Canyon to the Mountains that stretch across the land out west. The most astounding creations is us!  Weird huh? I look around and see some jaw dropping sights yet we are considered the greatest creation.

God has made our bodies so intricate. We are apart of God’s divine purpose and we were created in the image of God Himself! I find that fact absolutely amazing.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

That being said, we should be constantly glorifying God through our bodies. Glorifying God through our bodies could mean how we act, what we say and how we hold ourselves up in difficult situations.

All around us we see God’s amazing creation glorifying Him. All the way down to the bleeding heart that sits so beautifully, and you know that there was a creator of that flower. Let us glorify God with our own bodies.

Since I am getting bit by mosquitoes, and am losing the battle, I will end with a quote that really enjoyed by Charles Spurgeon.

““To whom be glory for ever.” This should be the single desire of the Christian. I take
it that he should not have twenty wishes, but only one. He may desire to see his
family well brought up, but only that “To God may be glory for ever.” He may wish
for prosperity in his business, but only so far as it may help him to promote this—“To
whom be glory for ever.” He may desire to attain more gifts and more graces, but it
should only be that “To him may be glory for ever.” This one thing I know, Christian,
you are not acting as you ought to do when you are moved by any other motive than
the one motive of your Lord’s glory.”
~ Charles Spurgeon ~