Christ is Primary or Luxury?

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pearlI know I always have the same excuse, but more than ever, recently I feel like I've been buried in paperwork plus all sorts of other responsibilities on top of that. I don't mind being busy that much but I think the Lord is putting me to a stop for a bit. I'm sick with a cold and two injured toes. So FINALLY, I have time to blog!

About two weeks ago, I flew to California to visit some Christians who are attending a Biblical Truths and Character Training. During my time there, I had a conversation with one of them, a good friend of mine. It all started with a question, something like, "Katherine, being in the training is like living in a special bubble. It is very easy to enjoy the Lord here, but when I go home, I feel like there are so many distractions, many things I used to enjoy doing that I wouldn't mind going back to." Then she sighed.

In a sense, her question encompasses all of our questions. We do love the Lord, but it's very difficult to love only Him, especially when our environment is rather treating us well. When she asked that question, inwardly I actually asked myself the same question. First, I realized that no matter what I do, my love for the Lord Jesus consistently fell short. Then the Lord changed the paradigm by bringing forth this question, "Katherine, am I a luxury to you?"

What a convicting inquiry because in essence, a luxury is an accessory. Your life is better if you have it, but you can still live on if you don't have it. Oftentimes we are worried that we would leave the Lord behind to chase after other things. We are worried that the Lord Jesus Himself would not be enough. We are worried because we do not trust ourselves. These are all legitimate fears of God-fearing people. However, at the end of the day, we must come to the Lord to genuinely consider our lives and consider who He is and has been to us. We must pray with an honest heart:

Lord, who are You to me?
Can I give up You as my food, my water, my shelter, my clothing?
Can I live without You?

I don't know about you, but every time I pray such words I come to my senses. Deep down, I truly know that:

The Lord Jesus is my Primary need, 
that my heart yearns for Him, 
that He is all I really want, 
that I cannot live without Him,
that I do love Him.

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