Every Day Life
Did you ever listen to that band EDL (Every Day Life)? They were one of those groups good for the time, but that has nothing to do with this blog post...
The other day I was listening to this song while doing dishes:
At the end he sings, "I love you, there is no one else." The words made me think about our relationship to God, how it's supposed to be like marriage: permanent and faithfully focused on one. But we don't often treat it that way, do we? Either God is someone we can discard when doubt comes, or stray away from for significant amounts of time, leaving and returning as we see fit. What kind of marriage is that?!
I'm sure there are tons of reasons, but personal and universal, but some insight hit me right away: Immediately after the song, a super loud advertisement popped up trying to sell me a car; and then, Waverly brought a bowl of orange peels over to me that I needed to clean up. I think this is a big reason for our lack of devotion: distraction in every day life.
We are so easily distracted from our wives, kids, friends...why would God be any different? Busyness and productivity are huge hurdles for me; but while getting stuff done does feel good, does it satisfy my soul?
So what's the solution? I would say a (not the solution) solution, is to invite God into your daily tasks. Before these distractions hit, I was doing dishes while listening to this worship song and contemplating these truths. It wasn't terribly difficult, but did require a little focus; not unlike having a conversation with my wife while making dinner. Getting stuff done that is important, while maintaining a relationship that is more important.
When God is there, with you, in the midst of your everyday tasks, it's not as hard to stay close to Him. As Brother Lawrence famously said, this can happen even while doing dishes.
At the end he sings, "I love you, there is no one else." The words made me think about our relationship to God, how it's supposed to be like marriage: permanent and faithfully focused on one. But we don't often treat it that way, do we? Either God is someone we can discard when doubt comes, or stray away from for significant amounts of time, leaving and returning as we see fit. What kind of marriage is that?!
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. (Ephesians 5:25-27)But why is it so easy to get so far away from loving God?
I'm sure there are tons of reasons, but personal and universal, but some insight hit me right away: Immediately after the song, a super loud advertisement popped up trying to sell me a car; and then, Waverly brought a bowl of orange peels over to me that I needed to clean up. I think this is a big reason for our lack of devotion: distraction in every day life.
We are so easily distracted from our wives, kids, friends...why would God be any different? Busyness and productivity are huge hurdles for me; but while getting stuff done does feel good, does it satisfy my soul?
So what's the solution? I would say a (not the solution) solution, is to invite God into your daily tasks. Before these distractions hit, I was doing dishes while listening to this worship song and contemplating these truths. It wasn't terribly difficult, but did require a little focus; not unlike having a conversation with my wife while making dinner. Getting stuff done that is important, while maintaining a relationship that is more important.
When God is there, with you, in the midst of your everyday tasks, it's not as hard to stay close to Him. As Brother Lawrence famously said, this can happen even while doing dishes.
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