Engagement

Well this past weekend I got to be a witness to one of my best friends asking his girlfriend of 4 years to marry him.  First off congratulations Eric and Ashlee, I am so happy for you and can't wait to see the way you conquer this world together.  These events let me see something a lot of people don't see and that is the excitement that the guy has planning this all out.  Eric couldn't wipe the smile off his face and just wanted to make sure everything was perfect.  He had waited to take this step and the excitement you saw in him you just knew it was right.

This really got me to think about each one of us with God.  Do we have this excitement for Him?  It is so easy for us to get stuck in the daily "duties" of being a Christian.  We go to church on Sundays, maybe go to a bible study here or there, pray when we can, and get into his Word but are we really engaged.  Do we go to church but walk out the door having no clue what the sermon was even about?  I have done this many times.  I try very hard to pay attention but my mind begins to wonder the second the music stops.  What about when you pray?  Has the prayer become the same thing every night.  Are you really talking to God or just repeating what you have said for years?  It has become a real challenge for me as the things I pray for are constant and I usually pray right before bed.  I am exhausted by that point and notice myself just going through the motions a lot.  It becomes hard some times when things become normal or part of your every day life.  I work for a manufacturing company and when people become complacent with there jobs errors begin to happen as their attention falls away.  I feel this is the same way with our faith.  When it becomes the same thing we start to fall away without even knowing.

Back to the engagement.  Eric had so much excitement that Ashlee never saw.  Now how do we get that excitement for God?  How do we create that engagement with Him?  There is so many ways we can do this and for each person it will be different.  I have noticed for myself that changing when I pray helps some.  Also having a strong group of Christians around myself helps me when I begin to fall away from the engagement.  I need them to help push me to focus on Him and encourage me that He is the best choice for me.  Just like in a relationship you may feel you want to try something else or see what else is out there but in your relationship for God you need to realize He is the one.  Do not stray from him but make that commitment.  Get excited about your relationship with Him.  He is the one who will love you no matter what.  When you think things aren't right or you start to stress know he is there to hold you.  Show your joy for him in all you do.

While Eric was proposing another couple was near me that was watching it all happen.  They had never met Eric or Ashlee but they had a huge smile on their face.  They saw his love for her and her love for him.  Let's focus on showing that love we have for God to others.  Bring a smile to others by showing them the love and engagement you have with our Lord.  You may not know the person next to you or ever see them again but that happiness could change their life.

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."- 1 Peter 4:8