Making Jesus a Beggar

Jesus called to me yesterday, and I did not answer.   Instead, I filled my day with good things, which were "lesser things".  And, as the day went on, I became more and more miserable in my spirit.
What?  Did you think that this never happened on the resplendent walk?  ;)

So, I rose from the bed this morning, just as miserable as when I laid down on it last night. 
And, again....He called (louder this time).

Begrudgingly, knowing all along my attitude stank, I met Him in a John Piper devotional, where I received a great, big smack upside the head, followed by a loving embrace.

Let me share, piece by piece, this latest little leg of my journey.

Yesterday, I began to do three things simultaneously:
1.  neglect my quiet time with the Lord
2.  tackle a long list of "to dos", which I believed I was "to-doing" for His glory
3.  focus my emotional energy on troubling circumstances I am unable to change

It did not go very well.  God was not glorified, nor was I very "resplendent".

John Piper made this statement in his Solid Joys devotional for this morning.1
"It is possible to pursue God without glorifying God.  If we want our quest to honor God, we must pursue him for the joy of fellowship with him."

Read that again (I had to.)  Are you getting what he is saying here?  I just sort of sat there this morning, stunned at the reminder....not to mention the "uncanny" timeliness of it.

We do not "glorify God" by all the things we "do out of love" for Him.
We bring Him the most glory by enjoying His presence and worshipping Him there.

Satan is awfully good at activating what I call our "spiritual ADD".  PIper quotes C.S. Lewis, who put it like this:  "We are far too easily pleased."
Satan knows that if he can pull us away from time spent in our Savior's presence, in His word, in prayer, that he can weaken us spiritually, often without us realizing what is happening.
Because, you see, those "lesser things" look so GOOD!  They are so beguiling because often they actually do bring God glory, in some respect. 

But, the point I am trying to make here is that those lesser acts of worship should flow from, actually should be the OVERFLOW from, the primary act of worship, which is to BE with Him, in his presence. 

There is a biblical principle God established with the Hebrews, and which still applies today.  It is the principal of "firstfruits".  You can find it mentioned many times in the Old Testament, and lived out by Jesus and his disciples in the New.  Here is one such passage, from Deuteronomy, when God was re-emphasizing this life principle as His people prepared to enter The Promised Land:

1When you enter the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, and you occupy it and live in it, 2you must take the first of all the ground’s produce you harvest from the land the Lordyour God is giving you, place it in a basket, and go to the place where he chooses to locate his name.3You must go to the priest in office at that time and say to him, “I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord promised to our ancestors to give us.” 4The priest will then take the basket from you and set it before the altar of the Lord your God. 5Then you must affirm before the Lord your God, “A wandering Aramean was my ancestor, and he went down to Egypt and lived there as a foreigner with a household few in number, but there he became a great, powerful, and numerous people. 6But the Egyptians mistreated and oppressed us, forcing us to do burdensome labor. 7So we cried out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, and he heard us and saw our humiliation, toil, and oppression. 8Therefore the Lord brought us out of Egypt with tremendous strength and power, as well as with great awe-inspiring signs and wonders. 9Then he brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10So now, look! I have brought the first of the ground’s produce that you, Lord, have given me.” Then you must set it down before the Lord your God and worship before him. 11You will celebrate all the good things that the Lord your God has given you and your family, along with the Levites and the resident foreigners among you.

Deuteronomy 26:1-11 (NET)

He wants the "first fruits" of our days, not the dregs, not the crumbs.

My dog, Charlie, patiently dogs my steps (sorry...) as I move about the kitchen.  He is hoping for a crumb, a morsel.  He is essentially a beggar on four paws.  And yet, I too often treat my one-on-one time with the Lord the same way.  I make Him a beggar, even though I know I will suffer for it.  ("The carnal nature is strong in this one...."  That was an oblique reference for you Star Wars fans; the rest of you, well, just pretend you never read it...)

This experience, this time with Him, frames our days.  It rights the listing ship.  It keeps the speeding car in the road.  It makes so "thy kingdom come", because where is His kingdom?  It is within each of us, His children!  If His kingdom does not "come" within each of His beloved FIRST, it "comes" nowhere.

Closing now with Piper's beautiful words:
"The enjoyment of God and the glorification of God are one.  His eternal purpose and our eternal pleasure unite in one experience of worship.  This is what the Lord's Day is for.  Indeed, this is what all of life is for."

Source:

1    Piper, John. Desiring God: meditations of a Christian hedonist. Multnomah Books, 2017. pp. 306-307.