Falling Into the Arms of God - Part 1

As I wrote in yesterday’s devotional, we would spend the next few mornings exploring the practical ways that we can “sit in our heavenly Father’s lap.” It is what I have come to call “falling into the arms of God.” It is really nothing more than discovering genuine passion in life. Webster defines passion as a “violent, intense, or overwhelming feeling.” The synonyms for it are fervor, ardor, enthusiasm, or zeal. It suggests a warm and excited feeling. It implies energetic and unflagging pursuit of an aim or devotion to a cause. With that in mind let me state the obvious: In order to be at peace in life, we first must become passionate about resting in God. There are two verses of Scripture that provide a basis for this truth: Thus says the LORD: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’” (Jeremiah 6:16 ESV). Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. (Hebrews 4:1 ESV). Brennan Manning writes: “The paltriness of our lives is largely due to our fascination with the trinkets and trophies of the unreal world that is passing away. Sex, drugs, booze, the pursuit of money, pleasure and power, even a little religion, suppress the awareness of the presence of Christ. Religious dabbling, worldly prestige, or temporary unconsciousness cannot conceal the terrifying absence of meaning in the church and in society, nor can fanaticism, cynicism, or indifference.” It is one of the most effective deceptions of the devil. Many people today have been led to believe that unhappiness and unrest are normal and acceptable parameters for their lives. This simply is not the promise of God. I am not suggesting that our lives can, or even should be problem free. However, I do believe that God desires for our lives to be free of anxiety and fear. There are three steps to living a life of passion, a life free from anxiety and fear. We’ll look at the first of these this morning: You must learn to be still. David wrote: “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10 ESV). In the “Guinness Book of World Records,” the world’s record for the machine with the most moving parts numbers over 7,000 different parts! Yet if you were to ask its inventor what all these parts do, his answer would be “Nothing!” Like so many of us today, we’re moving busily, but we’re doing nothing. Our movement is not directed. There must be a discipline of silence at work in our lives. It is this that will draw us near to God. It is within this silence that the voice of God may be heard. The uncluttering of our minds in quietness is the beginning of passion. So, today, will you join me in quietly thinking about Him? Will you seek that quietness as if it were a great treasure? Find just fifteen minutes today, away from phones, pagers, computers, TVs and stereos – then just be quiet and let Him come to you. You may not “feel” any different, but you will begin to “be” different. Discipline your mind to focus on God. Think of His love for you. Slow yourself down long enough to know Him today. Then you will have begun to fall into His arms!