The Biggest Thing We Know

"Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world."

~Jesus in John 17:24 (ESV)

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Providential Moment

This morning as I traveled to work in the beginnings of what is supposed to be a major winter storm, I was grateful that the traffic was quite good. I observed the fast moving cars moving through the increasingly-heavy snow and kicking up spray and mist from the streets (actual action-packed imagery to the right). As I rounded downtown Denver, the city could not be seen but a few buildings on its parameter.

As I observed these things, the song, "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus," (an outstanding hymn, came on on my iPod. Wow. What perfect timing.

Life Becomes Big...Too Big

Here's what I observed of my own heart and the habits of the human heart: This morning when I left, this commute was the greatest concern I had. It was the biggest thing to me..

The words of the songs sounded:

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim (as I observed the fading view of the city)
In the light of His glory and grace."

God Is Big

Wow. This commute wasn't so big after all. The hustle of the city, like all of our problems and riches, quickly fades when we truly behold Him. Nothing compares to Him. This weather is a small thing. God is big. When we join Him in Heaven, we won't be thinking about how fast or slow we got to work--all eyes will be fixed on Him, and it's small ways like this that He uses to train our eyes to stay on Him now.

Lord, draw our eyes to You and fix them upon your glory! Let us see each day that You are the biggest thing we know--bigger than all our struggles, commutes, earthly gain, relationships, pain, managers, poverty, emptiness, riches--bigger than all the voices of this world raging for our life. You are real, You are big, You are the God Who works mightily! Amen.

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Challenge and Application Questions

• What small (or big) ways has God reminded you of His greatness and bigness?
• What things that the world (or you apart from grace) might see as an inconvenience do you appreciate that are frequent reminders of our big God?
• How does knowing God's bigness (sovereignty and work in everything) comfort you in your present struggles?
• How does knowing God's bigness keep your eyes on the ultimate Good (Christ Himself) in the midst of great gain?

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Recommended Resources

The Four Woes of Luke 6 - Woe 1: Against Earthly Riches

"'But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.'"

~Luke 6:24 (ESV)

| Read Part 2>

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Jesus provides us with four merciful "woes" or warnings in Luke chapter 6. And no, they're not dazzled "woahs" as in "Woah, dude!" No, these are merciful warnings as in "Woe to you" from the mouth of Christ Himself. As with all of Scripture, we will do well to heed them and grow in our love for Christ in doing so!

There are many things vying for our attention that claim to be the ultimate comfort, yet they are earthly. Anything other than God that we look to to function as God is a deception and an idol. Only God, the only comfort, can function as God, the only comfort!

The rich are warned with a merciful warning that those who look to what they have now on earth for their comfort, that indeed shall be the end of their comfort. If that is all there is to life, does life not seem meaningless? But there is so much more to it, the glory of God! Eternal satisfaction in Him that ever increases!

Shall we seek after riches on earth? Shall we store up meaningless things? Shall we create idols to "function as God" to satisfy ourselves? Then that shall be our consolation, our comfort, our reward. The fact is that we all do! Our heart is a "factory of idols," as C.J. Mahaney quotes in his excellent and life-changing (I kid you not) message series, The Idol Factory. This series revealed to me the Biblical name of my many sins and the nature of the deception of my heart. I know I can so quickly, if my eyes are not on my Savior, be deceived into thinking satisfaction can be achieved in something other that Christ.

O, may it never be that we live our lives for these things! Christ is the only One needed, Who matters, and Who satisfies with an everlasting satisfaction and an ever-increasing thirst for more of Himself.

O, Fountain of Grace,
Fountain of Mercy, truth, and life,
You are the perfect Prince of Peace
All of my days,
May I always strive for Your name praised,
You are the God over all

Challenge and Application Questions

• What does satisfaction in Christ look like in the life of a Christian and why iks it critical?
• Are you satisfied in Christ? Evaluate your thirst for God.
• What competes most for your satisfaction, energies, your heart, your thoughts, and your devotion other that Christ (like the rich man's devotion to riches)? How will you seek to defeat these idols in your life and fall more in love with Christ?