In the movie August Rush, the character Wizard and Evan, aka August Rush, the star of the movie, are trying to choose a performing name for Evan. Wizard tells Evan to close his eyes and tell him what he wants most to be. Evan complies, closing his eyes, and immediately opening his eyes with the simple yet reverberating answer - "Found."
When I heard that short exchange, it stuck with me, echoing a lifelong cry in my own soul. Oh, how we all desire to be found!! Everyday, I meet people or see people I know doing crazy things to be found. Like a struggling musician looking to be discovered, or an abandoned child praying that their parents, or a great new family, would find them, we all go through life hoping that someone or something will find us. What do you want to be found to? We want to belong, to be important to someone. We long to know that we are needed and cherished. We all want to be found. So, ironically, we search to be found.
In America, we talk alot about our need to find God. We talk alot about the process of searching for God. This has always bothered me. I tried that search myself in high school, and never found anything except frustration. To bring up another good movie quote - in the wonderful movie Forest Gump, Forest is having a conversation with his military friend, whose name I cannot remember right now. God comes up, and when his friend asks Forest about finding God, Forest responds, "I didn't know He was lost." In another movie, New In Town, when the star moves to a rural town in the north, a local woman asks her if she's found Jesus - the woman responds, "I didn't know He was lost."
Why do we look so hard for God, when He's not the one who's lost? We long to be found, but ya know, the truth is that we're not lost to God either. He knows right where we are and He's there with us. But we feel lost... We haven't experienced being found - we are lost to ourselves, lost in the alienation of our minds, as the apostle Paul writes in the New Testament. So we look for discovery in other areas, always skipping over the truth that we're already found.
In high school, when I finally fell down on my knees, quite literally, exhausted from trying and searching so hard but finding nothing, I gave up my need to find God, to find belonging, to find love. And I simply begged Him that if He existed and loved me at all, to please find me. I couldn't take it anymore. So I stopped searching.
Ya know what? He found me - in fact, He'd been there all along, working in my life to bring me to that moment when I could begin to know Him as He already knew me.
Your Creator, you Redeemer, your Soulmate knows you intimately, loves you, and is with you. You are found through Jesus Christ. Stop searching and look to Jesus.
He found you.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Welcome Home, Faith! Welcome Home!
She was so adorable. My dad found her in our carport, but she wouldn't come out. When I saw her, she was back in a corner, her ears stuck to her head, her tail down, and she was trembling all over. She was the cutest puppy I had ever seen - white, with black markings, favoring a beagle, lab, and dalmatian all at the same time. Once I got her out of the carport, it took some time, she became the most affectionate, calm yet playful puppy I'd ever seen, crawling up in my lap and my friend's lap, her tail wagging, struggling to reach up and give us kisses of gratitude. What were we supposed to do with her now? She wouldn't leave, even when we went in the house, she just sat on our front porch crying. We put a leash on her and walked her around from house to house, searching for her owner, who we just knew had to be missing this precious darling. But no one had seen her before... I soon discovered that she was completely attached to me. If I held the leash, she'd stay by my side, but if my friend held the leash and I got out of her range, she would start whining like crazy while staring after me with eyes of fear - wondering if she someone else would abandon her.
We eventually took her back to the house and put her in the backyard. She was our guest for five long, worrysome, stressful, uncertain days. We put flyers up all over the neighborhood, placed a posting on craigslist, and continued to ask around the neighborhood. We quickly realized that she had most likely been dropped off, abandoned, forced to become homeless.
She continued to become more and more attached to me. If I walked by the door, she would start crying, barking and jumping on the window. If we wanted her to get in the car, all I had to do was get in and she'd jump right in. When we took her around the neighborhood, if I was out of her reach, she sounded like someone was abusing her.
She seemed so unure of her future. She didn't have a home; she didn't have a family. Our family dog was allowed in the house, but she wasn't. We found several possible homes for her, but they all fell through. Meanwhile, her cries became more desperate. She grew more and more attached to me. And I felt more and more helpless, because I couldn't find her a home.
Ya know, I think in alot of ways, we are like this puppy. We go through life feeling lost, homeless, alone, abandoned, worthless, unwanted, and abused. So we do the only thing we think we can do -- we attach ourselves to anything or anyone we can, hoping with all our being that this person, this thing, will accept us, give us a sense of belonging, a home, embrace us, cherish us, give us purpose and worth. Maybe it's a boyfriend/girlfriend. Maybe it's a partner. Perhaps you got married too early to the wrong person in hopes of finding unconditional love. Maybe it's a gang, where you can feel a sense of belonging and protection. Maybe it's in a church. Maybe it's your friends. Maybe it's a house of your own. Maybe it's a career.
But eventually, and if you're honest I think you will agree, eventually that person or thing gets old. Reality sets back in, and the individual or thing lets you down, leaving right back where you started. So we find someone or something new to attach ourselves too, hoping that this time, we'll get it right.
Why do we keep doing that? Why don't we realize that we're missing something? Don't we see that we are living a lie, allowing the Devil to deceive us in the first place?
The lie is in the beginning - that we are lost and abandoned, without a home. We believe we are like sheep, without a shepherd. But the truth is that through His life, death, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus Christ has gathered all of us up into His arms and carried us home. You have been reconciled to your Father. He loves you and accepts you unconditionally!! You belong exactly where you are, with Him. You don't have to change for this to be true - You are accepted and included just as you right now. You don't have to search for acceptance from people or things, because you are already accepted. You know that longing inside of you to find a home, to be valued by someone? That is a longing that can only be met in Christ, who will cherish you completely and never let you down. Reach out to Him, attach yourself to Him; He will never let you go.
As for the puppy, God answered my prayers just in time. I found her a good home and she's doing very well -- her new mom named her Faith. :-)
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.
We eventually took her back to the house and put her in the backyard. She was our guest for five long, worrysome, stressful, uncertain days. We put flyers up all over the neighborhood, placed a posting on craigslist, and continued to ask around the neighborhood. We quickly realized that she had most likely been dropped off, abandoned, forced to become homeless.
She continued to become more and more attached to me. If I walked by the door, she would start crying, barking and jumping on the window. If we wanted her to get in the car, all I had to do was get in and she'd jump right in. When we took her around the neighborhood, if I was out of her reach, she sounded like someone was abusing her.
She seemed so unure of her future. She didn't have a home; she didn't have a family. Our family dog was allowed in the house, but she wasn't. We found several possible homes for her, but they all fell through. Meanwhile, her cries became more desperate. She grew more and more attached to me. And I felt more and more helpless, because I couldn't find her a home.
Ya know, I think in alot of ways, we are like this puppy. We go through life feeling lost, homeless, alone, abandoned, worthless, unwanted, and abused. So we do the only thing we think we can do -- we attach ourselves to anything or anyone we can, hoping with all our being that this person, this thing, will accept us, give us a sense of belonging, a home, embrace us, cherish us, give us purpose and worth. Maybe it's a boyfriend/girlfriend. Maybe it's a partner. Perhaps you got married too early to the wrong person in hopes of finding unconditional love. Maybe it's a gang, where you can feel a sense of belonging and protection. Maybe it's in a church. Maybe it's your friends. Maybe it's a house of your own. Maybe it's a career.
But eventually, and if you're honest I think you will agree, eventually that person or thing gets old. Reality sets back in, and the individual or thing lets you down, leaving right back where you started. So we find someone or something new to attach ourselves too, hoping that this time, we'll get it right.
Why do we keep doing that? Why don't we realize that we're missing something? Don't we see that we are living a lie, allowing the Devil to deceive us in the first place?
The lie is in the beginning - that we are lost and abandoned, without a home. We believe we are like sheep, without a shepherd. But the truth is that through His life, death, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus Christ has gathered all of us up into His arms and carried us home. You have been reconciled to your Father. He loves you and accepts you unconditionally!! You belong exactly where you are, with Him. You don't have to change for this to be true - You are accepted and included just as you right now. You don't have to search for acceptance from people or things, because you are already accepted. You know that longing inside of you to find a home, to be valued by someone? That is a longing that can only be met in Christ, who will cherish you completely and never let you down. Reach out to Him, attach yourself to Him; He will never let you go.
As for the puppy, God answered my prayers just in time. I found her a good home and she's doing very well -- her new mom named her Faith. :-)
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Beginnings...
I have considered starting a blog for awhile, and finally decided to try it. This is not a window into my personal life. Instead, it's simply where I, a young woman who is captivated by God, will share thoughts and reflections about the roller coaster ride called life and all that comes with it. You don't have to agree or like what I say, but I hope that as I reflect and process, you will be encouraged and perhaps challenged to think differently.
Captivate means to "attract and hold by charm, beauty, or excellence." I think we are all captivated by something. Sometimes, I think we allow things to captivate us that are not "charming, beautiful, or excellent." My grandmother used to love watching her "stories," otherwise known as soap operas. She never missed an episode! She would discuss them with her friends or family who watched them. She was captivated by them. She was also pretty depressed most of the time and sometimes seemed like she lived in those stories, and not in the real world. Other times, I think we can be captivated by something just for a moment. Have you ever witnessed a flaming sunset or the mighty mountains, finding yourself entranced by them for a moment? I certainly have. Sometimes, I think we can be captivated by something so strongly that it begins to shape our perspectives - often, we don't even realize it's happening. These can have a huge affect in who we are, in who we become, and therefore, in our actions and the way we live. Some people are captivated by money - it drives them, controls them. Other people are captivated by a person, perhaps a significant other or partner. That person is all they can see and all they know. They base everything else in their life around that one person. All other relationships and ambitions are inferior to that person. Money is definitely necessary in my life; I'm sure it is in yours. And I know I was created for relationships. But I've seen money bring pain and emptiness. And I've learned the hard way that friends, family, and significant others, or maybe just potential significant others, will let me down eventually. Some of them even leave completely, abandoning me to stand alone and defeated, wondering how I possibly did this to mess up my life. What I have learned, is that there is only one Person who can hold me completely captivated and who is deserving of my captivated attention. He is the most charming, beautiful, excellent One I know. His name is Jesus Christ. He will always hold me captivated. I don't have to do anything, because He's already done it. All I can do, like when I see the red, pink, purple sunset, is stand amazed and enchanted by Him.
What captivates you?
Captivate means to "attract and hold by charm, beauty, or excellence." I think we are all captivated by something. Sometimes, I think we allow things to captivate us that are not "charming, beautiful, or excellent." My grandmother used to love watching her "stories," otherwise known as soap operas. She never missed an episode! She would discuss them with her friends or family who watched them. She was captivated by them. She was also pretty depressed most of the time and sometimes seemed like she lived in those stories, and not in the real world. Other times, I think we can be captivated by something just for a moment. Have you ever witnessed a flaming sunset or the mighty mountains, finding yourself entranced by them for a moment? I certainly have. Sometimes, I think we can be captivated by something so strongly that it begins to shape our perspectives - often, we don't even realize it's happening. These can have a huge affect in who we are, in who we become, and therefore, in our actions and the way we live. Some people are captivated by money - it drives them, controls them. Other people are captivated by a person, perhaps a significant other or partner. That person is all they can see and all they know. They base everything else in their life around that one person. All other relationships and ambitions are inferior to that person. Money is definitely necessary in my life; I'm sure it is in yours. And I know I was created for relationships. But I've seen money bring pain and emptiness. And I've learned the hard way that friends, family, and significant others, or maybe just potential significant others, will let me down eventually. Some of them even leave completely, abandoning me to stand alone and defeated, wondering how I possibly did this to mess up my life. What I have learned, is that there is only one Person who can hold me completely captivated and who is deserving of my captivated attention. He is the most charming, beautiful, excellent One I know. His name is Jesus Christ. He will always hold me captivated. I don't have to do anything, because He's already done it. All I can do, like when I see the red, pink, purple sunset, is stand amazed and enchanted by Him.
What captivates you?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)