I often get to sit in the back of the van when the whole family is going somewhere, like church. The other day I was sitting back there beside my youngest and he was leaning forward, anxious to see all he could. His eyes darted everywhere and he missed very little. In contrast, I was comfortably leaning back in my seat, as relaxed as I could be with a student driver at the wheel, and I just kind of zoned out.
As I watched him, I was struck by how he and I represented Christian living. Sometimes we're leaning forward in anticipation, anxious to see and experience all we can, and other times we're lounging back, oblivious to much of what's going on around us, relaxing and zoning out.
As the deer pants for the water brooks,
so my soul pants for You, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God;
when shall I come and appear before God?
~Psalm 42:1-2
It made me stop and think about how I'm sitting before God. Am I leaning forward, anxious to see more of Him, or am I zoning out as I relax? I want that eager anticipation of a child. I want to lean forward and be watchful. I want my soul to thirst for God, for the living God and I want to be eager to enter into His presence.
How about you? How are you sitting in your spiritual life?
Don't forget this week's book giveaway is still going on and there's time to enter the drawing for Jenness Walker's new book, Double Take. Just leave a comment or two on her spotlight posts here.
Thanks, girl! I'm sitting forward!
ReplyDeleteNice observations...as usual. I think there is a time for both. Sometimes we need to lean back and relax while God takes us through hard times, instead of sitting on the edge of our seat in anxiety.
ReplyDelete(I noticed you're not the licensed driver in the passenger seat. I was there too long!)
Yes, I think you're right, Vonnie. There is definitely a time to sit back and let God work. I was just thinking more of our attitude toward God. Are we sitting forward, anxious to see Him work and anxious to be with Him or are we leaning back, relaxed and zoned out from what He's doing. I want to always be leaning forward, eager to see Him working around me and in me.
ReplyDeleteThe student driver? Usually I am in the front seat, but at least twice a week I'm not, and it's a nice treat to not be. =]