Claims Upon Our Affection
Let's continue to throw off the things that weigh us down in our Christian race, as we start the new year, by considering W.E. McCumber's warning against: "the claims upon our affection that leave us too earthly to enjoy spiritual blessings."
It's certainly true that too much 'earthiness' can rob you of your 'spiritual' delight. Although I am not suggesting becoming a spiritual hermit who mistrusts everything as 'worldly'. That is the extreme of this type of thinking, where we begin to demonise everything instead of being able to find God's blessing in it.
But let me share with you my own experience. I find that if I try to live a 'balanced' life, participating in the things that most people do, so that I remain 'connected to the world' and don't become 'too' spiritual or radical; it is then that I often begin to struggle with my faith. I get spiritually lethargic and lazy. Even though I don't set out to do it this way, I become more and more drawn to entertainment and leisure and less and less drawn to deep prayer and intercession. Temptations become harder to resist, and I find myself divided and essentially wearing the Christian name without playing the game.
Feeding Your Soul What Glorifies God
On the other hand, when I throw myself at the feet of Jesus daily, and live my life with an earnest desire to connect with Him, serve Him, and spread His message - it is then that I find victory over sin, power in my ministry, and great delight and joy in my devotional time and through the day.
If I feed on things that are godless or even neutral, my delight in God seeps away bit by bit! But if I feed on things that glorify Him and display His wonder and His love and His grace, ah what joy comes!
Here's a little test to see if the things that you are enjoying are deepening your faith or not. Could you imagine sitting with Jesus and enjoying that thing? Would Jesus watch that show, that game, that video? Would Jesus smile at that song, that story, that episode? Would Jesus eat that food with you? Remember, Jesus' great purpose was to glorify His Father and do His Father's works. There are many things which Jesus surely smiles at in our world, as He sees beautiful and pure and lovely things made and enjoyed.
Casting Away What Hinders You
But perhaps there are things that you embrace that would not be possible to enjoy with Him sitting beside you. Is it time to cast them off? To throw them aside?
John Wesley said "Nothing short of God can satisfy your soul. Therefore, eye Him in all, through all, and above all."
Whatever you're doing, keep your eye on God. And if you can't, don't do it! Cast it off, throw it away!
This will be a great year in God's eyes, if our relationship with Him gives us the sweetest and most wonderful delight - more so than anything else in the world.
Let's give Him the claim on our affection and love, and eye Him in all we do this year, so we can run the race without being weighed down.
Excessive entertainment and earthly pursuits can rob us of spiritual joy and make us spiritually lethargic. Examine your leisure activities and ask if you could enjoy them with Jesus beside you, then commit to feeding your soul on things that glorify Him.