Heart Tracks - Trinkets?

"This life is in His Son. He that has the Son has the life." 1 John 5:11......"He has only one gift to meet all our need: His Son Jesus Christ." Watchman Nee

We like gifts. It's natural to our life. At her last birthday, as my little niece waited to celebrate her party that night, I recounted to her all that would be there,, cake, ice cream, family....."and presents," she was quick to add. Birthday's, Christmas, anytime at all, we look forward to getting gifts. We don't grow out of it. How sad that in the midst of it all, even we who say we are His, miss out on the greatest of all gifts, Jesus Christ.

Just as we tend to focus on "presents," gifts, we also focus on our needs, and we're not shy about sharing them with most everyone, especially the Father. We have financial needs, relationship needs, physical needs, and spiritual ones. Like children going to see Santa Claus, we either have them written down, or memorized, and when we get onto Santa's lap, we pour them out. No one ever went to Santa to inquire to his well being, or spend any time with him personally. Getting the list out, having him receive it, and then leaving with a childlike belief that he'd take care of the rest was the way it went. There's little difference there between the visits to Santa and how we treat with the Father. We never thought at all on whether Santa had more to offer than "goods" and it is much the same with God. We know Jesus Christ is His gift to us, but we too often see Him merely as the means of getting the "goods" we feel we need in life. The "goods" may be good, but they are devoid of Him....of His Life....of His Son. In our seeking of trinkets, we miss the One Gift....the Pearl beyond price. The One in Whom every longing and need is met. Jesus.

There have been so many lesser things that I've sought in this life. Both as a man, and as His servant and son. There have been many things that I thought I must have in order that my life, my ministry, my walk with Him, be made complete and full. Yet just as the toy the child so longed for and had to have at age 6, is now in the family yard sale at age 7; so too were many of the things that I felt I must have, and He graciously gave. And all the while, the goods choked out my awareness of my deepest need for the Best. For Christ. For His fellowship, intimacy, presence....His Life. The good gifts, even when from His hand, are not life. Christ is Life, and it's our pursuit of many things that keep us from the One thing. Trinkets being sought over the priceless. Much stuff over the One Son.

Do Nee's words resonate in our hearts? Do we live as though it's all about the trinkets, or all about Him? Do we think that we have many needs, or do we realize that we have only one....Christ...and from Him will flow the meeting of all the lesser ones as well? Do we prepare today to jump up on the lap of Santa/God, or do we enter into the rest, joy, and wonder of the arms of His Son.....the One Gift? And here is what's best of all. The Gift of Jesus has already been given. We need not beg. We need only to receive. Let us receive....with gladness.... Trinkets or Gold. Which do we seek? Which do we really want?

Blessings,
Pastor O