Just Out of Reach

 

Two winters ago I had the privelege of feeding the bluebirds that lived around my home.  I started with just a few, but soon the number grew to around thirteen.  Each day I would set out a batch of homemade suet in the morning and a handful of meal worms in the afternoon. Before long the bluebirds came to expect this daily ritual.  Every afternoon at 4:00 I would have a bluebird or two waiting on the rail of my back deck. As soon as I would step through the door, I would call out "come blues, come blues". Before a minute passed I would have all thirteen of them fluttering just a few feet above my head.  Every day I fed them I would hold my hand up with a mealworm in the tips of my fingers.  Each time they would just fly a bit farther up, out of my reach.  Never risking contact. Never taking the gift in my outstretched hand.

As Christians are we a bit like these bluebirds? Do we willingly take God's gifts and blessings, yet forget or refuse to make full contact with Him. Do you find yourself busy with life, flitting from one activity to the next never making a strong commitment to the One who loves you? Do you flutter around just on the edge of His righteousness, but never take the time to receive the full glory of a strong relationship with Christ?

I know I struggle with this.  I desire a relationship with Christ, but I don't put in the effort.  I move throughout my days caught up in busyness, living my life just on the fringe of God's love. Revelation 3:16 says

So, because you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold-I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

I find myself like the bluebirds I feed. I am eager to take the gifts God gives me, but I tend to do it from a distance.  Keeping just out of reach from my Savior. Never venturing in too deep. Accepting His goodness, but skirting a deeper relationship.  It's a difficult path, because I have good intentions. I DO want a deeper relationship with God. But, somehow I always find myself skipping off on another tangent when I should be focusing on the Lord.

I WANT to be on fire for the Lord. I desire to serve Him. I don't want God to "spit me out" because I have lived a life of lukewarm service to Him. I want to "shine like a star in the universe" (Phil. 2:15).  I yearn for others to see a difference in me. I want them to see God's all powerful love. But, to do all this I need to make an investment. I need to stop living on the outskirts one moment and living in His palm the next. I need consistency. I want to run to my father's arms and stay there. Instead of wriggling my way out and fluttering away to live my busy life. Its a struggle. One that I can't seem to win. This old sin nature keeps me jumping back and forth. In and out of the fold.

Thankfully I can claim this verse

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57

I will be claiming VICTORY!

 

 

* For the past few weeks I have had no desire to read my bible or pray. I let my physical condition effect my spiritual life. I became depressed and frustrated. Instead of turning to God, I turned away. I tried to read my bible. I tried to search for texts that would lighten my despair, but I just grew weary. Galations 5:7 says, "You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?"  I know who kept me from running a good race- satan. Not anymore!  I'm back in the race, on the right track and heading for the finish line