Out of the way

I went for a run through Hudson Springs Park today. I like running around the lake, especially now that the leaves are changing. The water is so still that it looks like there's double the amount of orange, yellow and red leaves because of the crystal clear reflection. And the clouds were huge and puffy and white on top and angry gray on the bottom, you know, fall clouds. Beautiful. The only weird part was that it started raining a little bit, and I swear I saw pieces of ice mixed in as the drops landed on my windshield.

Anyway, I was driving home, and I was rounding the corner about to turn into my apartment complex as I usually do, when my eyes were diverted further down the street to a fiery red tree. It was planted next to a house, and surrounding it were softer, yellow and brown leaves. I was so enraptured by the beautiful color, that I purposely did not turn into my apartment and continued to drive toward this tree. I just stared at it. I know, you're slightly worried because I should have been watching the road, but I couldn't take my eyes off of it. How odd that the death of it's leaves could reveal such startling beauty.

And as I drove away and back to my apartment, I started thinking about God. Do I go out of my way to gaze at his beauty? Am I so caught up in Him and his awesomeness that I cannot tear my eyes away? Do I look at him or look at the world around me? The answers are pretty obvious. I don't go out of my way. If it's "inconvenient" to read my Bible, spend time in prayer, prepare for Bible study, go to church, love others, then forget about it. Do I even know how beautiful He is? What am I fixing my eyes on?

I want to live a life of love for God. That's what we talked about last night in Bible study. We're in Ephesians 5, and it's amazing how in just the first few verses we can learn so much about how we are to live as followers of Christ, children of God. We are to be imitators, because we are his children, create in His image. We are to live  and love like Christ, who died because of his love for us, and gave his life up as a sacrifice and fragrant offering to God. Am I willing to be a sacrifice, to be a fragrant offering to God?

I think a big problem I have is that I want to be comfortable. But God did not call me to a life of comfort. I have eternity to be comfortable in his presence!

Father, I pray that you could help me to know you better, to see your beauty and get caught up in it. I pray that I would be stretched in my faith, learn to be uncomfortable and give you praise and thanks. I pray that I would love you more and more everyday, and worship you and find delight in you, to your glory. I love you, Father.