I have had this idea tugging at my mind today. I think for a lot of people it's really difficult to truly absorb. I am now convinced... God certainly made this land for us, but seeking to experience it isn't the purpose. Have you really thought about what it costs to be a christian? Those experiences that you want to have... that bucket list or whatever. Is God in all of those things? Today I have gained a new perspective. These things I've done, they are exactly what Luke 14:34 and Revelation 3:16 are talking about. When I traveled to California, did I do it for God? When I went to watch football games, did I do it for God? When I went on that road trip to "see the US" did I do it for God? Today, "taking up your cross daily" means far more to me than to deny sin. Today, and hopefully every day moving forward, I see with new eyes that experiencing things is meaningless if it not very specifically driven by a love for God. For too long I have been confused by the worldly ideology "what's the point in living if you don't feel alive"? That somehow I should experience as much as I can before I die. But now I see something else. God doesn't care how much of this tainted creation I experience. I knew His word which says "do everything for Christ", but somehow that didn't seem disparate with the idea that we should experience much... until today.
I'm not sure if this will really make sense to anyone else, but I was shocked this morning by a passage that after many years of bible studying I had never studied: Luke 14:26. It really opened my eyes and helped me understand some things I had long struggled with understanding. I had decided that it wasn't something to post here, but after it popped up again, I had to write something. I hope it can help others as well.
