(Once again, I wrote a devotion for our church’s week of prayer. Once again I’m using it as my blog post for this week.)
“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.” (John 17:24)
This morning the streets of Canterbury, in the early wind and rain, are almost deserted. It makes a nice change after the Christmas excess. Today there will be no desperate struggle for inspiration while I look for gifts. Today my decisions are easy. What type of bread shall I buy? What am I going to have for lunch? Do I want a medium or large hot chocolate (Never small…)?
But even in the still streets the shop windows are there to remind me of the constant pressure to get more. Get more value for money. Get more stuff. Get more hot chocolate.
If there was a sign in God’s shop window it would not offer more value, more happiness, more holiness. It would say, ‘Get more Jesus’. “Father,” Jesus said, “I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory…”
I think of Richard Wurmbrand, the Romanian pastor who spent years in prison under Communist rule, who wrote, ‘Thoughts about God are not God. Only God is God. Never be satisfied with anything less than God himself.’
I think of Lettie Cowman, one of the founders of OMS, who wrote, ‘My goal is God Himself, not joy, nor peace. Nor even blessing but Himself, my God.’
I think of the Paul, the apostle, who wrote, ‘For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.’
Then I think of the Romans (the people, not the letter) and one of their sayings: ‘Money is like sea water; the more you drink, the thirstier you become.’
Then I think of my large hot chocolate, and realise that it’s not really hot chocolate that I am thirsty for…
