Fog

Written by cycleguy on April 4th, 2017

As in stupor. Lull. Clouded mind.

This morning (Tuesday) I was reading a devotion from New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp. I’m not saying this lightly: I am not sure there has ever been a devotion that hit me so hard and so “where I live” as this one. I’m going to give you snippets of it in this blog and then include it at as a whole at the end.

Human beings, who were created to live in awe of God, are in grave danger when familiarity causes them to be bored with God.

That was just the opening line! But he wasn’t done.

Familiarity is a beautiful thing…But the blessing of blessings is to be familiar with the ways, the character, the presence, and the promises of God…Yes, familiarity is a wonderful thing, but it can also be a very dangerous thing.

By this time he had my undivided attention. Something began to ring in my ears and in my heart. Something disturbing. Convicting. Unnerving. Truthful.  Then came this:

Every human being was designed by God to have his hopes, dreams, choices, words, actions, desires, and motivations shaped by a jaw-dropping, heart-controlling, life-shaping awe of God…Familiarity causes us to lose our awe of God. What once stunned us doesn’t anymore. {Note: you can read the rest on your own below}

Here is what I wrote in my journal:

“I wonder, as I think back, if this is some of what happened {Note: previous to my bike wreck in February}. Had I lost my awe of God? Had I taken Him for granted? That, (along with a couple other factors), could be the source of my stupor and lull of the desert from mid summer to my wreck in February. I may not know what caused the wreck, but as time goes by I seem to get a better handle on my (spiritual) struggle leading up to it. And that is good. 🙂 As I do, a little more of me wakes up. And that is very good.” 🙂  (In case you are new, if you read here you will find out what happened.  You can find out what I did my first Sunday back in the pulpit after the wreck here. And then read this post to find out a recap of what has been happening.

I know we each have our own journey we are traveling. This may have absolutely no relevance to yours. That’s okay. Then again…maybe it does. Below is the whole day’s devotion. I hope it is clear enough for you.

 

 

 

14 Comments so far ↓

  1. Jeff says:

    I am glad I don’t have spiritual struggles. I am not even sure what they are. I am familiar with the seemingly infinite number of God stories. I have no awe of any of them. I hope you resolve whatever is bugging you about it.

    • cycleguy says:

      Nothing bugging me at all Jeff. Just trying to align priorities. I do wish you had some type of awe of God.

      • Jeff says:

        You need not wish things for me. Your make believe world is not my world. I hope you are as happy in your world as I am in mine.

  2. Zee says:

    I know the feeling, Bill. I was thinking along the same lines when I wrote my post “Do you see the mountains” like the author of the devotional here talks about the grand tree.

    I even watched the Jesus movie (the one filmed in ’99 with Jeremy Sisto) last night, because it reminds me of what happened. (It’s my favorite one. Especially the moment when Jesus rises from the dead and says “Mary” in the garden to Mary Magdalene when she thought he was a gardener… That scene always makes me incredibly happy.)

    • cycleguy says:

      I remember that post Zee. You had one of “those moments” as well. Yours was just not as drastic as mine. 🙂 Keep the fire burning lil sis.

  3. Ceil says:

    Hi Bill! Well, God is certainly knocking on your heart isn’t he? What a beautiful thing, to know that he wants you so much that he uses the book you’re reading to call you to himself.
    It’s such a hard line to walk. We’re supposed to see Jesus as our brother, and God as our Father. But in that, we are to realize our place next to the Savior and Creator. It can get confusing. I don’t want to be overly familiar with God, but I don’t want him to be remote either…This sounds like a great study.
    Blessings,
    Ceil

    • cycleguy says:

      That is a good way to put it Ceil. God is knocking on my heart. And you are right…it is a hard line to walk. It can be confusing for sure.

  4. Linda Stoll says:

    I’m guessing your reading, insights, and wisdom are enlarging since your two brushes with disaster, Bill.

    I’m guessing your writing and pastoring will expand because you’ve been in the ditch.

    Literally.

    He is a Redeemer, isn’t He …

    • cycleguy says:

      I am truly praying they are expanding Linda as i am praying my heart is also. I am praying every aspect of my life will change and expand. Thanks.

  5. floyd says:

    A wake up call would have been less painful… but not more effective…

  6. My experiences with Danny this last week (explanation coming in my future blogs), ripped me away from that comfort of familiarity into realizing God’s awesome “otherness” that still reaches out to us in comfort, mercy and peace. I don’t want to let go of that, not at any time or place or circumstance. God put my perspective of Him on an entirely new level, and for that, I will be eternally grateful. Sounds like He is definitely doing the same for you. 🙂
    Thanks, Bill, for the inspiration you have shared with us here! Blessings!

  7. Betty Draper says:

    I think that is why I like the women bible study. Once a month we just talk about what God has been doing in our lives, sometimes we don’t even have time to pray about things. I know some think that is not too spiritual but it’s an uplifting awe that comes over the room when someone starts talking how God taught her this and answered prayer or helped a situation that only a Holy God could work in even without prayer for that situation. As their teacher I love to hear them talk about Him not lament about their ailments or struggles. Remember I told you what my kids said, I would be able to get many post out of my heart issue, well their words are, “come to Jesus”, post. I think coming back to being is awe of Him counts. Nothing better to be brought up short and find His love for us has not dropped one bit…oh what a Savior.

  8. Pam says:

    Wow! Loved this devotional. It describes exactly how I had been feeling, Bill! And then just recently Jesus drew our daughter into a committed relationship with Him and we are awed by seeing God with her fresh eyes. It is truly AWE-some!

  9. Crystal says:

    Thanks for sharing this… I keep reading Jesus references to being like a small child and watching my 3 year old niece and her excitement about the little things, and hearing her express gratitude for simple things…and then reading this…to see the Creator, to see Grace, to see life and the Father as through the eyes of a child, that awe,…that’s what I want!