I learned a lot from my time with my mother when she was here, but I expected that as I always learn a lot from her. Our time together was blessed with moments of insight and truths that she shared from God's Word. Here is one such moment.
We were sitting on the steps outside our door at our home stay in Munnar. We had arrived last night to an unbelievable view of the mountains, a view that left us speechless, and had spent a very quiet evening admiring the sunset and our magnificent surroundings.
Today, I was sitting on the steps as Mom read her Bible, overlooking the mountains. After a full day of travelling in the car the day before and a relaxed evening, I was antsy to get going into town and sight-see, antsy to go have adventures. After all, it was getting to be late morning, and there was lots to go see. All the other people at the home stay had left for town hours ago and the manager, Joy, had just checked on us, probably wondering why we were still around. The tea museum, the plantations, the flower garden, the dam, were all waiting for us. We might even ride elephants...The day was bound to hold much adventure and I was ready to move!
But my mom wasn't. She was sitting at the feet of Jesus, simply enjoying His presence in His word and in the surroundings. She was being Mary while I was being Martha.
I had asked Mom if she was ready to go. It was now over an hour later, and the sun was getting hot, but we still hadn't left for Munnar. Mom told me to be patient. She really wanted to keep reading, to spend more time in His word contemplating His handiwork before us. "We have lots of adventures we have to go have!" I protested.
"Claudia," my mom said, putting down her book. "You're missing the point. You're missing out on THE great adventure. The greatest adventure we can possibly have in life is getting to know God and delve deeper into relationship with him. Yes, there are adventures we might go have today, but those are just temporary. I prefer spending time in conversation with God to any other adventures we could have today. That's more exciting to me than anything." And she settled back into her reading.
As usual, Mom was right. Shortly thereafter, I, too, picked up my Bible and joined her at His feet. And we spent a long time there just like that.
I haven't forgotten this gem my mother revealed to me. If we're missing out on being totally centered in God's Word and growing in relationship with Him, and spending quality time with Him each and every day, we're missing out on THE greatest adventure life holds. Sight-seeing, exploring new lands, (even riding elephants,) all pale in comparison with the excitement of getting to know and experience our Creator. If we're running around having other adventures but not growing and talking with God every day, we are really missing out on the best that He has to offer. There's no better conversation partner than Him, no better-selling book out there, no adventure bigger- than HIM!
How often do we run around doing Christian activities, filling our schedules with Christian things, various church choirs, etc etc., while totally forgetting to sit at the feet of Jesus? While forgetting to talk with Him and really read His word? How often are you Martha instead of Mary? I know I am super guilty of this much of the time. "Look at me, I'm in India, I'm here for God, look at all these things I'm doing, blah blah blah!!!" They don't mean anything unless I am spending time with HIM and drawing directly from the Source. If you don't have time to read the Bible or spend time with Him, that means that you (I) are subconsciously putting other things in the place of your time with God, and in the place of God Himself. That's idolatry! Even Christian activities, mission work can be idolatry. What?!? Well, if it's taking the place of your time with Jesus, I guess in some way, it kind of is. (Again, I am more guilty of this than anyone.)
Are you missing out on the greatest adventure out there? Let's not waste another moment craving adventure and meaningless excitement outside of Him. He has something to say to you today, and it's important. Let's, both you and me, try not to miss out on it.
Mom, thanks for not letting me miss it. :)
We were sitting on the steps outside our door at our home stay in Munnar. We had arrived last night to an unbelievable view of the mountains, a view that left us speechless, and had spent a very quiet evening admiring the sunset and our magnificent surroundings.
Today, I was sitting on the steps as Mom read her Bible, overlooking the mountains. After a full day of travelling in the car the day before and a relaxed evening, I was antsy to get going into town and sight-see, antsy to go have adventures. After all, it was getting to be late morning, and there was lots to go see. All the other people at the home stay had left for town hours ago and the manager, Joy, had just checked on us, probably wondering why we were still around. The tea museum, the plantations, the flower garden, the dam, were all waiting for us. We might even ride elephants...The day was bound to hold much adventure and I was ready to move!
But my mom wasn't. She was sitting at the feet of Jesus, simply enjoying His presence in His word and in the surroundings. She was being Mary while I was being Martha.
I had asked Mom if she was ready to go. It was now over an hour later, and the sun was getting hot, but we still hadn't left for Munnar. Mom told me to be patient. She really wanted to keep reading, to spend more time in His word contemplating His handiwork before us. "We have lots of adventures we have to go have!" I protested.
"Claudia," my mom said, putting down her book. "You're missing the point. You're missing out on THE great adventure. The greatest adventure we can possibly have in life is getting to know God and delve deeper into relationship with him. Yes, there are adventures we might go have today, but those are just temporary. I prefer spending time in conversation with God to any other adventures we could have today. That's more exciting to me than anything." And she settled back into her reading.
As usual, Mom was right. Shortly thereafter, I, too, picked up my Bible and joined her at His feet. And we spent a long time there just like that.
I haven't forgotten this gem my mother revealed to me. If we're missing out on being totally centered in God's Word and growing in relationship with Him, and spending quality time with Him each and every day, we're missing out on THE greatest adventure life holds. Sight-seeing, exploring new lands, (even riding elephants,) all pale in comparison with the excitement of getting to know and experience our Creator. If we're running around having other adventures but not growing and talking with God every day, we are really missing out on the best that He has to offer. There's no better conversation partner than Him, no better-selling book out there, no adventure bigger- than HIM!
How often do we run around doing Christian activities, filling our schedules with Christian things, various church choirs, etc etc., while totally forgetting to sit at the feet of Jesus? While forgetting to talk with Him and really read His word? How often are you Martha instead of Mary? I know I am super guilty of this much of the time. "Look at me, I'm in India, I'm here for God, look at all these things I'm doing, blah blah blah!!!" They don't mean anything unless I am spending time with HIM and drawing directly from the Source. If you don't have time to read the Bible or spend time with Him, that means that you (I) are subconsciously putting other things in the place of your time with God, and in the place of God Himself. That's idolatry! Even Christian activities, mission work can be idolatry. What?!? Well, if it's taking the place of your time with Jesus, I guess in some way, it kind of is. (Again, I am more guilty of this than anyone.)
Are you missing out on the greatest adventure out there? Let's not waste another moment craving adventure and meaningless excitement outside of Him. He has something to say to you today, and it's important. Let's, both you and me, try not to miss out on it.
Mom, thanks for not letting me miss it. :)
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