The words popped up in the corner of my computer screen half a dozen times as one person after another retweeted John Piper’s comment:
“You were made to see galaxies, not little movies with car crashes. Get a life…or a telescope!”
It got me thinking.
How often do I spend my time, my energy, my mind, my heart on lesser things while ignoring the greater God has designed with me in mind?
How often do I spend my dreams on fictional fairy-tales when God is weaving a real-life adventure story for me?
How often do I spend my time exploring the crafts so-and-so is making and posting pictures of online when God is crafting lives all around me to be seen and marveled at?
How often do I sit in the slums playing with mudpies when God invites me to a vacation on the beach?
“Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
~C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity
It’s not a new thought. In fact, my last couple of week in words posts dealt with similar topics.
But it’s a thought I need to keep reminding myself of.
I wasn’t made for an ordinary life. I wasn’t created for an earthly life. I’m a citizen of a different realm, recreated in Christ for a greater purpose.
Heaven forbid that I waste my life on this earth looking only at this earth when God has made me to see veritable GALAXIES.
Lord, would you teach me to be discontent with the paltry diversions this world offers–and content with every rich gift You provide.
Don’t forget to take a look at Barbara H’s meme “The Week in Words”, where bloggers collect quotes they’ve read throughout the week.
Ouch…discontent has been visiting me lately too…I’ve given it the boot…and this was very encouraging. Thanks!
Awesome words! I am going to share these with our youth on Wednesday evening if you don’t mind. We are constantly trying to get them to realize their TRUE worth. What we were made for, designed for! thanks for the encouraging words!
C.S. Lewis instantly came to my mind when I started reading your post, so of course I enjoyed the fact that you included something from him, too. :)
I always enjoy your WiW posts; thanks for putting so much thought into them!
Priorities and balance — life always seems to come back to those! Thanks for the reminders.