Desperate

 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled." Matthew 5:6

There are a few movies that I watch every year at Christmastime. One of them is "It's A Wonderful Life." The hero, George Bailey, feeling trapped in a hometown he'd been desperate to escape, comes to a place, through the errors of another, where he sees life as so hopeless as to wish he'd never been born. The angels of heaven are watching it all, and in response to his condition, send an apprentice angel to help. This angel has granted his desire, and so begins a journey with George to see just what his life, and those that he loved would have been like had he never been born. After this terrifying experience, George finds himself on the same bridge he had earlier contemplated throwing himself off. This time however, he cries out to God, begging Him for another chance, begging to once more have life. His words really struck, "Please God. I want to live. I want to live." George was desperate for life. My question for us is, are we?

Jesus said that He came to give life, and to give it abundantly. How many of us are living lives that not only look abundant, but actually are? Yes, we may have goods, investments, financial security, but those are not what makes for abundance. If they were we would not see so many who have these living lives of complete emptiness. What makes for the abundance Jesus promised are His peace, His contentment, His joy, His very Presence in us. Such life fills us with gratitude, because we have an open door for relationship with Him. We live in the fullness of knowing that whatever we face, He faces it with us, and He has already brought us the victory in it. We live secure, knowing that nothing can touch or steal His life within us. We live in hope not only for this life, but for eternal life. We live in the riches of our inheritance in Him, and we know and experience the truth of His promise, that we have all things in Him. But again, how many have such a life? How many who call Him Lord live so far beneath His promises to us as to be a scandal in heaven? How many of us have squandered the life He has given us in Christ, and worse, aren't even aware that we are, and not missing it when we do? We're so satisfied with this earthly life we have no hunger or desire for His Kingdom life. Perhaps we need some kind of "George Bailey experience" in order to desire it at all.

As you read this, can you or I really say that we live each day hungering and thirsting after His righteousness, His life, His presence? Some quick prayers in the morning or evening, along with a few Scriptures read, and we feel we've fulfilled our obligation. Now it's on to those things that really matter. Except that we don't realize that "those things" lead not to life, but death. If we did, we would be like George, crying out to Him, "Please God, I want to live. I want to live."

What is your desperation level for having the fullness of His Life and Spirit? Someone said that if there is anything you desire more than being filled with His Spirit, you will never be filled with His Spirit. This is the root of our problem. We desire many things more than His Spirit and Life. So what we get is mediocrity. Shallowness. Lukewarmness. And we're satisfied. And because of it, because of the cost to the Father to give us the offer of all His fullness through His Son Jesus Christ, we are a scandal in heaven. Lord forgive us.

As you read this today, and as I write it, are we filled with the hunger I speak of? Do we have the desperation of George Bailey? Do we want to live? Fully, freely, in Him? George Bailey was desperate beyond words. Are we?

Blessings,

Pastor O