Active Theology

“As a deer pants for flowing streams,
  so pants my soul for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God,
   for the living God.”  (Psalm 42:1-2, ESV)

What does your heart run to?  

Where does your mind go when you are left alone in your thoughts? 

What do you long for and can’t stop thinking about?

At some point, you might have heard a pastor say, “look at someone’s bank account and you’ll be able to tell what they value.” While there is truth to that statement, I think our scrolling habits will reveal our desires even more.  

Lately, it feels like my attention and thoughts have been in the wrong place. I spend too much time looking at guitars…I just need to get that out in the open. I already have a great guitar, but there’s a little corner of my brain telling me it’d be nice to have another one. 

Here’s the thing about guitars: they are expensive. So if you did look at my bank account, you probably wouldn’t think that I put a high value on guitars because I’m not buying any! But if you look at the time I spend on Facebook Marketplace or Reverb.com, you’d probably tell me I have a problem. 

The things that grab my attention come and go. If you would have asked about my scrolling habits a year ago, I would have told you I really wanted to buy a bike. (Those are expensive too) 

The problem isn’t just that I like bikes and guitars, but it’s that my heart so easily runs to different stuff all the time. As my heart and soul are begging to be filled up and satisfied, I keep looking for the next quick fix. And there before my eyes, I keep placing a shiny object and I keep giving into the lie that I will be fulfilled. The object is standing in the place of God and confusing my heart on what it needs in order to be filled up. 

And it isn’t just physical possessions. We do this all the time. We want a different job, a better house, a vacation, even just an easier work week, and so on. We so easily run to “the next thing” and desire something different. 

I don’t mean for this to turn into a counseling session, but I do believe that I’m not the only one that deals with this. And please don’t get me wrong – I believe that God gives us good gifts on this earth that are meant to be enjoyed, but we so easily let our hearts get confused. 

God is the one that we truly long for and need to run to. 

“You make known to me the path of life;

   in your presence there is fullness of joy;

   at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11, ESV)

During his earthly ministry, Jesus proclaimed to be the One that fills and satisfies. In his interaction with the woman at the well, “Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14, ESV)

When we align ourselves with God and run after Him, we are on the path to eternal life, fullness of joy, and never ending satisfaction. When we are satisfied in Him, we are far less tempted to run anywhere else. 

Pray: God, I know that You are the source of never ending joy, satisfaction, and I know that You are the path to eternal life. And although I know this, I pray that the Holy Spirit will remind me to keep running to You. Help me to remember each day that You are the only one who will truly satisfy my soul. Amen. 

Song: “Heart Runs” by John Mark McMillan

Craig is a worship pastor at Wallula Christian Church and the creator of Active Theology. He loves coffee dates with his wife, reading, and riding his bike. A few of his favorite things are third wave coffee, vanilla ice cream, and plain t-shirts.