The Problem with Air Conditioning

I was listening to a sermon this morning on Mark 6:30-44. The story of Jesus feeding the 5,000. One many of us know quite well and tend to overlook, but it deserves a second look as it certainly highlights our own futility. Our inability to do anything apart from Jesus. In the middle of the sermon the air conditioning turns on and Brad (the pastor) gets distracted. And he says,

"I even like it when the air conditioner kicks on because I think that air conditioner is part of our problem. 'Oh, the air conditioner doesn't work? Call somebody to fix it!'...We are used to getting everything we want and the moment we bump up against hardship we get all flustered because we are the most self absorbed people in the history of civilization and Jesus wants to bring us to a point where we don't have stuff...We don't have air conditioning. We don't have internet. We don't have microwaves...we don't have Macintosh telling us when to update our lives.  All we have is Jesus and that is a blessing not a curse.. Being a Christian is impossible apart from Jesus and He wants to bring us to a point of futility and failure until we see that may God do that in our lives and in the life of his church, even if it makes us uncomfortable. " 

Man, talk about hitting home! How often do we find ourselves taking solace in the things that God has given us, but neglecting to remember that we do not need any of those things. All we need is Jesus. When my car blew up and I was concerned about how I would get around God provided. I did not need the car. I needed to trust in Jesus. When God places amazing people into my life and then takes them away he shows how silly it is to put my trust in humanity. Humanity never satisfies. Jesus alone can truly satisfy our hearts and bring us salvation. Why do we put our trust in the things of this world when we are called to something bigger? God has been doing a great work in my life, on my heart, lately and has humbled me to the point where I am seeing that in the midst of my doubts and my darkness Jesus is the only light that I need and my ultimate satisfaction is found in him alone.

C.S. Lewis is one of my favorite authors. I have been devouring his works and the impact they have had on the world is notable. Lewis was single for most of his life, and God used him for a great work. What if he had been distracted by marriage, by the things of this world, and neglected to do those things. How sad would it be for Lewis if God had used somebody else to do this great work.

 Father, if you have called me to a life of singleness to do great works in your names I praise you for that! I have been humbled by the fact that you could use me in any way for your glory. I gave you my life and I want you to use it as You will and not as I will..

I do not mean this to say that I do not desire marriage. If that is the plan that God has for my future I embrace it! I welcome it with open arms because I know that God's goodness and glory prevails over all things and the gift of marriage is a beautiful one. One that I have dreamed of, but I mean this to say that my ultimate dream and the full desire of my heart--though it waivers because I am human--is to please God. To find joy in the things that he calls me to do. Married. Single. Traveling the world. Being still. I do not care so long as it is what God wants for me. A woman who has been mentoring me and helping me decipher this crazy mind of mine showed me this article that really changed the way I view my own singleness. The entire article is worth a read--and in my case about 3 re-reads and a lot of sharing--but this particular quote jumped out at me,

"It also helps to remember that there are a great many circumstances worse than not being married. One of them is being married to someone who doesn't share your love and desire for God—someone whose commitment divides your commitment."

I know quite a few people who were deceived in dating, and so are now married to people who are nothing like they imagined. Their faith is weak, and they have no desire to strengthen it and though there is certainly love in the relationship it is flighty and lacks true depth. In The Great Divorce, C.S. Lewis says, "Human beings can't make one another happy for long...you cannot love a fellow-creature fully till you love God." How very true this is. While our flawed human love does exist, it is not the same as the love we have when we throw ourselves into God's glory and grace. We think we understand love, but all we have is a shadow and it shows through our pride and selfishness. When I think about my future, I know with full certainty that he husband I desire is one who loves God infinitely more than he loves me because I know that through that love he will love our family all the more fully.


I have struggled a lot lately with this peace that God once gave me. I still do not know all of the answers, but I have learned that a good part of that peace was simply to love. Through adversity and selfishness, to love and I will do that for as long as God tells me to do so.

Holy, awesome, wonderful Father may you use me in this life as You see fit. Will you strip my heart of all desires that are not of you, Lord and will you strengthen my heart to do your will for my life. Will you help me to find joy in all that you are and to be satisfied in you alone. I love you Father and I am daily amazed by your goodness and your grace. Let me never lose sight of the beauty of all that you are.

Amen.

Click here to listen to the sermon in its entirety.