Can't You Just Be With Me?

    Let me invite you to join in a scene that is taking place in my head as I type. Imagine a couple on their wedding anniversary enjoying a candlelit dinner in the town’s nicest restaurant. They don’t need music or entertainment; the pure enjoyment of each others company is enough to occupy the evening. There is no denying her love for him nor denying his love for her. Now, imagine the beautiful young bride looks to her groom and says, “I’ve really enjoyed this time with you but I have another date to go to in about 30 minutes.” He replies, “What?” She reassures him that “You are still my favorite and my number one but when this is over I am going to go out on another date.” Now, I would like you to come up with your own most creative response on the groom’s side; however, I have no doubt that all of your imagined responses go something like “I don’t think so.”

    How many times do we treat Christ like the bride treated her groom? Just like the groom would not have been okay with his new wife making him one of many men in her life, Christ is NOT okay with us making him one of many in our lives. How insulting to the creator of all things! Sometimes there can be no denying our love for Christ. When people look at our lives and our actions they could see someone who desperately wants to glorify God; however, if they really looked at your heart they might see that it does, in fact, have a section devoted to Christ along with another section devoted to money, a third section devoted to our careers, and a fourth section devoted to strongholds, etc. How does your heart really look? Does it make God one of many things in your life? Or maybe God is at the top of your heart but you still can’t let go of the rest. Or maybe you could say with absolute confidence that all of who you are and your entire heart belongs to Christ. You see, God doesn’t want to be one of many things in your life. Nor does he even want to be your number one in a list of things and people you love and hold onto. He wants to be everything in your life. He wants you to give up every worldly possession, relationship, and habit. He wants all of your heart. He created you to live for Him. He created you to carry His name in all that you do. It’s interesting how He created us to be His and we can struggle to find time to fit Him in each day of our busy lives.

    Would you take a minute and consider what your heart really looks like? How deeply would your heart reflect your love for Christ? What does your heart say about you? I imagine that, like many Christians, you have some readjusting to do. Would you really let go if he asked you to give until it hurt? Or, would you look at him and say, “I love you. You are my number one. You are still my favorite but I’m going to hold onto this part of my life too.” I think it is time to pause every part of your life that doesn’t glorify God and ask God to occupy your whole heart. Christ is asking you right now, “Can’t you just be with me?”