the life I cultivate with God is what lasts

The life I cultivate with God is what lasts. So is the life with God cultivated by the people I encounter every day, in my home and outside it.

Don’t keep hoarding for yourselves earthly treasures that can be stolen by thieves. Material wealth eventually rusts, decays, and loses its value. Instead, stockpile heavenly treasures for yourselves that cannot be stolen and will never rust, decay, or lose their value. For your heart will always pursue what you value as your treasure.

Matthew 6:19-21, TPT

We all live in the seen world, walking along earth’s dirt in our temporary bodies, but if you are in Christ you are also part of the unseen world, living for a King and Kingdom far greater (2 Corinthians 4, 2 Corinthians 5:1-10). At what cost to my communion with that King is my obsession with myself, or what this world deems successful and good and productive?

I recently read a book by Jeanne Guyon. She writes about the power of the ‘gentle retreat inward to a present God.’ She writes, “if only once we could be convinced of God’s goodness towards His children and of His desire to reveal Himself to them! We would no longer seek our own selfish desires. We would not be so quickly discouraged from pursuing what He is so longing to give us.” We live by faith, not by sight. There is more of God to be experienced today, in this moment, whether it’s a peaceful or chaotic one. His love is better than life (Psalm 63:3). He has words for you, He has comfort and strength and joy for you, He has direction and wisdom for you. If we would but give space to hear, adoring Him, coming again and again, asking in faith and humbly accepting what He offers.

Do I love the just-me-and-God life or do I love what others see and think about my faith? Do I wake up excited about the reality I get to do everything today with JESUS, and offer Him to those around me, or about building my own kingdom, about proving myself awesome, about indulging my every whim, or about fearing what is out of my control?

Questions I’ll continue to ask myself as I journey on. But doesn’t cultivating an authentic, rich and interactive life with God sound incredible? I think so too.

Jan Johnson writes, “It isn’t a matter of achieving God’s presence, but surrendering to God’s presence that is already within the Christian. It’s more than a habit, it’s a fundamental way of living. As a flag or banner waves over a castle continuously, the presence of God hovers around us, sometimes rippling in the wind, other times resting quietly, but always in a place that stands out, that cannot escape the eyes we are training to recognize Him.”

I pray for us today…

May our inner life with God be sweeter to us than anything going on outside us. And may we live contending for others’ communion with Him, with humility and prayer (Philippians 2:1-4), speaking truth in love, running the race alongside them with eyes on eternity (Hebrews 12:1-3).

---

More Scripture To Consider:

• 1 John 4
• Psalm 16
• Ephesians 3
• John 17
• Hebrews 13:5-6
• Colossians 1
• Romans 8