Book Club and Blog Stealing/Sharing

Last night was Book Club night. Yes, for real. I love talking about a good book, so why not have a club for that very type of thing. I'd be lying if I said I finished the entire book, but thankfully most of the other girls weren't able to either. Our reading for the month was Elisabeth Elliot's Keep A Quiet Heart. If you're new to the block, you must certainly know that I am an Elliot fan! Though we didn't finish to the bitter end of the book, I think it's safe to say we might have a few more fans on our hands after last night's discussion. Today, I thought I'd share just a minute from our discussion.

A quiet heart is one that rests in the Lord and settles in the place of life that He has them. We all have desires beyond our current state- whether it be a plan for the weekend, a spouse, children, a home to call our own, a dream job, etc. You get the picture. We anticipate those things and want them. Much to our chagrin, we are still wanting more when we obtain a plan for a good night out on a Saturday or greater life change such as a spouse. Why? - Why are we left wanting more? Why do we continuously want the next thing rather than the thing in front of us? Why does the single woman want to so badly be married that she tears up at the next engagement announcement? Why does the married woman want the house with a picket fence? Well, I don't have all the answers, but I think God has been showing me some BIG things.

I read aloud to the group, in the midst of this discussion, Jeremy's blog post for the day. You can read it here. And I suggest you do, or my thoughts are not going to make much sense. It's probably a little bit of blog stealing, but we like to call it sharing. Sharing is caring, right?

Obviously he mentions this in his blog, but I just want to say it again and again and a little more. The Israelites knew of the promise that was made to them. They knew of a coming King who would reign and crush the enemy. Yet, they were looking for the fulfillment of that promise in earthly form. They knew of the promise to inherit the land. They sought that fulfillment by conquering and fearing those who occupied the land they promised. They were looking for the fulfillment of those promises here. They wanted a king like the other nations, but those kings, for the most part, were corrupt and fell easily away from walking in the ways of the Lord and His Law. Their land- well, we know what happened there. They were exiled only to leave a "stump" (Isaiah 6:13) of a remnant. The land was taken away. I know it took a long time to say this, but here's my point: The Israelites were looking for the fulfillment of the promises to be made here. They ultimately thought they knew what was best. They were not looking to the far off kingdom and Christ, who would complete them (Colossians 2:10).

Fulfill means to complete. I think we have restless hearts, unquiet hearts because we are searching and searching like the Israelites for their king. We want a tangible something to have on the throne of our hearts, rather than God - who IS the One who should reign. Why does the single woman want so badly to be married and cries at the next engagement announcement? She is looking for a man to fulfill her. Why does the married woman desire the cozy, comfort of a home? She is looking to the house and riches to complete her dreams of that life she always thought she'd live. To answer my question from earlier as to why we are always left wanting more, I think we are left wanting more because we are seeking to be fulfilled by earthly treasures/things rather than the one who is our completion. In sin the relationship with the Father was broken. In redemption through Christ, that relationship is completed. It is fulfilled. Everything else is a blessing and His grace.

Let us look to the far off kingdom. Though we anticipate and anxiously await His return, let's be reminded of His reign now. His reign is present in our lives at this very moment. The enemy has been vanquished, and Jesus is King. Let us look to the things He has blessed us with at this very moment and be thankful. Let us keep a quiet heart.