The Reality

The day breaks with the sun rising with great brilliance across the horizon of the eastern sky. He awakes to find himself yet again frustrated at the lack of sleep. And yet as he wipes his sleepy eyes and stretches his aching body he knows that it is the beginning of a new day.

The four hours of sleep seemed to have been moments in heaven. And now all that has changed and he is back on earth to fulfill his earthly duty. Strolling into the office he faces his overly emotionally stirred boss. And the deep longing to be back in bed and dreaming of another world plaque’s his mind all day long. He finds himself day dreaming and disconnected from his usual duties and has to constantly refocus and redirect his wandering thoughts.

He is like everyone else in the office who realizes the importance and even the necessity of their jobs. And yet there is a desire within each one of them to participate in something greater. They long to be a part of a world that would change their current mundane and boring lifestyles into one that has purpose and meaning.

This is the desire of every human on the face of the earth. It is innate within the heart of mankind to reach higher and to look further. The carnal day to day operations of our lives seem to get us agitated and give us a feeling of claustrophobia. The tendency of our minds is to wander, often leaving us unprofitable and to be quite frank, robbing our employers of their time. But this is the natural process of all who occupy this great universe. In all the accomplishments that we are able to look back at and all the celebrations we host for great achievements, we walk away still feeling like there is something missing.

This is no accident. It is not an unsatisfied, unthankful, greedy and ego-centric attitude that produces this feeling. But it is the spirit within us that desires to be made free from the bondage of this corruptible and mortal flesh. Our very existence is to reveal the image and glory of God and yet we all must admit that more than not we fall short. And still we want to participate in a world that is beyond our own human and finite comprehension. The Apostle Paul gave us his own description of this very fact:

Rom 8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

Paul was letting us know that we are a part of a world now that is filled with vanity. The word vanity here is used to imply futility, being useless and unsatisfactory repetition. It would seem more logical in this case to stop with all the trying and all the hard effort to accomplish great things. And yet it is through this feeling of constant reaching for more and longing for something bigger that has brought us to where we are. Would there have been an Israel, if Jacob was satisfied being known as a supplanter and a deceiver? Would there have been a man after Gods own heart, if David was content watching sheep? Would Peter have preached on the day of Pentecost if he settled for being a fisherman? Would Paul have written two-thirds of the New Testament if he grew quiescent with his conversion?

The fact of the matter is that all these characters and many more unlisted became great and reached the heights of accomplishment they did because there was an inward drive and passion that made them reach beyond what the eye can see. And you, the reader, are not what you are today and haven’t become the person you are now by settleing for just living your normal life. You can never be used in the kingdom of God if your sights are set on the here and now. But it is that dream and that desire to become more for God and to not be satisfied just being “you” that has brought you thus far. It is the longing to participate in a greater cause and a response to a higher calling that has made you what you are.

This, my dear friend, is truly “The Reality.”