Visible Reality vs. True Reality

I have recently been listening to the new Third Day CD: Revelation. The words are deep and I have always loved that group. There are several songs that speak to me right now, but driving home tonight, one phrase really jumped out at me and keeps bouncing around in my head. 

"Make a promise to me now, reassure my heart somehow

that the love that I feel is so much more real than anything.

I've a feeling in my soul, and I pray that I'm not wrong;

That the life I have now, it is only the beginning..."

Isn't it amazing, I know for me it is; It's amazing how quickly I am deceived into thinking that this world is my reality. This day to day, this eh, 80+ years that I might live on this earth is it. Now I know that most people will say, "oh yeh, I believe there is heaven, there is life after death..." but that's about it. The question is which reality do I live for from day to day. 

It is amazing to me how slick and cunning the devil is. He is not going to jump out there with some ludicrous vision or overwhelming untruth to deceive me. He is so sneaky, just like with Eve, he just twists the very tiniest of details to make me question, to get me on the wrong track, to slowly and gently take my focus off the true reality of God. 

The words in that song sunk so deep into my heart because I think my heart asks that question of my LORD daily. Am I weak and of little faith, yeh, I usually am. Do I trust the Lord? On most days, on my good days, which are even still my worst when I look at the whole scheme of things in reality. 

It is so easy for my heart to be dissatisfied, discontent, to feel like I am lacking. When in reality I have been given the greatest love in all of this world, the free, unconditional, faithful redeeming love of my Savior. It's so easy for me to "not feel" His love sometimes, and therefore be swayed, distracted, discontent, and wander off wanting. But as I heard that song, I couldn't help but think about this season, about Him coming here, for me, dying, for me, sacrificing it all, for me! How much more real can love get?!

WOW!!! That is just shameful to be able to see how often I fall for the illusion that this is it, that some love on this earth would mean more to me, would fulfill me more than God's! That is just ludicrous and pure insanity, which is exactly what Satan offers! Oh, but it doesn't come in a ludicrous package. "The road to hell is a gentle slope to nowhere" -C.S. Lewis (I think I got that quote right.) 

There is so much more to life than what is offered daily by this world, by my flesh, and by the great deceiver. I am ashamed at how often my heart settles for here, "how often I am content playing in the mud, making mud pies, when my Savior offers me an eternal vacation at the beach with Him!" -I don't know who that one is from, but it's from somewhere! :) 

What love is greater, what comfort is deeper, what intimacy could possibly be more real, what relationship could mean more, who is more important, which reality do I honestly live for from minute to minute, day to day? I cannot honestly say that each moment of my life is lived in the deep reality of God's love, before God's face... how awful! After all that He has given for me, to rescue me and make me His, I can't even live completely for Him for one day!

O, LORD Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner! O God, give my heart eyes to see the deceptions of this world, the deep ingrained failings and doubts of my flesh, and the tricks of the prince of this world! Oh, that I would truly, genuinely, and honestly live moment to moment as if God's love was more real, and meant more to me than anything! Truthfully what else is there in this life that means so much? Who gives such love? Nothing, No one, Never will there be anything this side of heaven that is worth my life, my all! What a difference that would make if I lived day to day, moment to moment, second by second before the face of my loving God, whose love is more real than anything this world has to offer!

O God give me the grace, strength, will, Your Spirit to live in the reality of You and Your Love!