Restless Hearts

II Corinthians 5:1–10

“For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the One who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the LORD. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the LORD. So we make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”

Today the Living Life writer challenges us to consider: “How does your desire to be with Christ compare to your other desires? How can you cultivate a faith that sees His surpassing value?” We, back in the recesses of our minds and planted deep in the seed beds of our hearts, all want to live like everything pales in comparison to knowing Jesus Christ. That similarly from yesterday, we want to see our troubles as light and momentary (II Cor 4:17), and desire to finally view our accolades and achievements, to “count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus” our LORD. “For His sake”, the Apostle Paul writes to the Philippians, “I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ, whatever was an asset to me, I count as loss for the sake of Christ (Phil 3:7–8).” This is seeing the unseen, this is faith, not knowing what is to come, but trusting in God. It is synonymous, in this sense, to courage, as trusting in the midst of being vulnerable; “faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see (Heb 11:1).” What the Living Life writer explains about faith is perceptive, “faith enables believers not to be so concerned with the impermanent realities of life on this earth and to focus our desires on the eternal home that we will one day share with the LORD. No attachment should be stronger and no desire run deeper than our yearning for Christ and being with Him forever.” Father, bless us with an ever-increasing intimacy with You, inspire us, invigorate our souls, we yearn for Your presence in our lives, that despite our changing moods, thtough the hills, the valleys, the peaks of our emotional and psychological landscape, we seek Your face in Christ. 17th Century French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal spoke of a God-shaped hole, a longing deep within us, for You, and strive as we may, nothing in this world could ever fill that void and centuries earlier, St. Augustine wrote, “You have made us for Yourself, O LORD, and our hearts are restless until it finds its rest in You!” LORD, “whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth (Psa 73:25).”