Drinking coffee, watching the world.

Sitting at Barnes and Noble, drinking some house blend and watching the world go on around me. Does it ever stop? When did life become this looming entity that we feel we have to race with every waking moment. As if we could get anywhere before God wills it. Like there's some destination that, somehow, we can get to sooner than anticipated.

So many moments lost. So much time wasted, just doing instead of being. If we took one day, 24 hours, 1440 minutes, 86,400 seconds and just cleared the schedule. Would life not go on with out us? Do we really have and chance of beating life? Would life around us cease if our itenerary was not accomplished. I know my day to day doesn't have that much bearing on the world.

So, what does this mean. Are our lives pointless collections of sporadic pinnacles and meaningless schedules? Or have we just lost focus on what it is our lives were meant to be? Did we ever know to begin with?

I don't know. I have no answer to that question. I can look only to Jesus and see what His words tell me my life should look like and then attempt in my feeble strength to try to reflect that in my life as I remove those things that may look important but have no eternal value. No Kingdom worth.

Not to sound legalistic but this verse is profound to me.

John 14:15 "If you love me, obey my commandments."

There it is. Jesus sums it up right there. The culmination of Jesus' life. Faith, works, good deeds, love prayer, gentleness....etc, etc. I know I'm not perfect. I will slip, I will fall. I can't be 100% right all the time, but I believe this commandment speaks just as much if not more to the condition of a man's heart. When I fall, am I willing to get up and admit that I have made a mistake? Is my heart bent towards God's will in my life and the life of those around me? Hear what I'm saying! Good intentions will not get you into the Kingdom. The willingness to act on your intentions and convictions, that's what God desires from us. From me.

I'm trying. I get it wrong a lot..... A LOT! But I desire to be the man He created me to be. Then and only then will I begin to truly affect the world around me. It is my prayer that every day my heart and eyes would look to Him to guide my steps. Be encouraged and know that if your desire becomes His desire, He will catch you when you fall. "Never have I seen the righteous forsaken."

Take that one to the bank folks. It's as real as it gets.

I love you all and most importantly, whether you know it or believe it, God loves you......


Peace be with you,

J. Gabriel
Barbarian Disciple