“For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. . .That you be strengthened with mighty by His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith. . .and to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with the fullness of God.”
Ephesians 3:14, 15b, 17a, 19
When it comes down to it, this is all that really matters.
Have you ever gone to a circus or watched one on television where the juggler performed his many feats of coordination and balance? Watching him juggle five, six or seven objects at one time and spin 10 plates on sticks at the same time left us giddy with excitement as we cried, “Wow! Did you see that?”
Yet, too often now-a-days we feel like a novice trying to do the same (with our schedules) without being given instructions on how to do any of it. Oh, we might be able to juggle two or three things at once—“multi-tasking” we call it—but soon others add other balls or pins (responsibilities) to our “to do list” and soon we’re overloaded and overwhelmed.
And, don’t even mention those spinning plates.
For the only thing that’s spinning is our head. And, like the juggler’s ever-slowing plates wobbling crazily on the stick, we feel our lives are out-of-control and we’re about to crash and burn.
That’s why today’s Manna is such an important one—for it boils everything down to its basics. While we may want to talk “ad nauseum” about eschatology (the study of the end-time), ecclesiology (the study of the church), soteriology (the study of salvation) and Christology (the study of Christ), the average person on the street is simply wanting to keep their head above water and survive another day.
Thus, it behooves us to pray as Paul did: That the Heavenly Father would “grant us, according to the riches of His Glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man.” This is a simple request for God’s resurrection power to energize us inwardly by His Holy Spirit so we can truly “be more than conquerors through Him Who loves us” (Rom. 8:37).
Paul then goes on to tell us how this can happen: “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith.” Simply put, this is that daily “abiding in Christ and Him in us” (Jn. 15:1-7)—i.e., our daily walk with Him. And, this “communion union” will help us “to know the love of Christ, which supersedes human understanding as we’re filled with the fullness of God (which is God Himself).”
It’s all about simplifying, Pilgrim. All about simplifying.
What changes do you need to make in your schedule right now so you can spend more time with the Master and let Him love on you as you “hide His Word in your heart” (Ps. 119:11)? Get up 30 minutes earlier in the morning? Turn the television off and spend that time with Him? Learning to juggle effectively begins with the basics. Start now.
By Tom Smith Morning Manna Dated November 13, 2009