On Life & Tozer

I absolutely love it when God teaches me about different things. I love it more when all of a sudden my little light bulb goes on and I realize how they are all connected. Still, like a friend of mine said, there is so much going on between these two ears of mine, I'm not even sure how to explain it! So I think I'll go in parts. The first thing God put on my heart has to do with the way I walk my life...pretty big subject, but let me explain.

This week I finished the book "The Pursuit of God" by A.W. Tozer. I have to humbly confess that it's the first book I've finished in a very long time, and even this one I've had to renew at the library half a dozen times! There is just so much I want to learn and read about, I can't help starting new books although I have a mountain of other ones still waiting to be finished. But I made myself push through this one and I am glad since the last paragraph of the book was probably my favorite. That last chapter was titled The Sacrament of Living and it challenged the idea of there being a difference between the natural and the spiritual life. As Christians, we don't have to live in a constant struggle between two kingdoms, where we toil and push through the drudgery of common every day life always looking towards the hope of our future eternal life that will free us from these ordinary monotonous tasks. Tozer says,

"Is is not what a man does that determines whether his work is sacred or secular, it is why he does it. The motive is everything. Let a man sanctify the Lord God in his heart and he can thereafter do no common act...for such a man, living itself will be a priestly ministration."

I hope I'm not the only one who has so many times considered certain parts of my daily routine meaningless and boring. Not to mention certain parts that I could admit aren't even a wise use of my time! The truth that I am being challenged with is that if God is the King of my heart, then I should be abiding in His kingdom, meaning that everything I do should have kingdom significance. But I tend to separate the things that I consider to have significance and the things that don't. Everyone would agree that having a regular devotional time with the Lord is significant. But laundry? Making dinner? Creating quality time with our spouse or children? Painting my toenails? That last one probably caught some of you off-guard, but Mr. Paul, the great New Testament guy, said...

 "Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31)

If Christ dwells in us, then we "bear about the Lord of glory", says Tozer. Therefore there shouldn't be a difference in our various daily actions as far as God being glorified. So why do we insist on separating who we are from our actions? Why do I feel so unfaithful or negligent when I haven't had time for devotions in the last week? I think it is because I forget (and what a thing to forget!) that Christ is in me and His presence and glory aren't determined by what I do. They are not determined at all! They just are. When I am praying and studying the Word, His presence and glory are there as much as when I pack up a lunch for my husband or talk to a friend or fold the laundry or, yes, paint my toenails! Why would He change? It is only our awareness and our response that changes.

I am so encouraged by this because it gives new purpose to everything I do and a yearning to not miss out on His sweet presence just because I'm too busy or focused on some rountine task, but to enjoy and delight in His presence all the time! Delight...that brings me to the second thing I've been learning, but I will leave that for next time. For now, I want to chew on the fact that it's not about His presence being in parts of my life, but about my life being lived in His presence.