Adam's choice, Our choice

In Michelangelo's painting it is, even without the title, obvious to who these two people are. On the right God, on the left Adam. God is stretching, using every muscle to reach towards Adam. God wants to be near him, even the muscles in his index finger are reaching. Adam has God's full and complete attention. And then we have Adam . . . lazy and careless. Adam lounges on Earth, caring but not enough to really try. God makes himself available in every way to Adam. All Adam would have to do is lift a finger, but he allows God to reach out while he sits back and watches.


Are we like Adam? Is God so close that all we would have to do is lift a finger?


The one thing that Ortberg showed me in his book, was that God wants to be with us sooo much more than we want to be with Him. He makes himself available every moment of every day and yet we lay there only a finger's length away. 


Now when I pray I always tell God, "I'm lifting my finger to you! I want to be with you too!" 


I encourage you to reach towards God, lift your finger and reach!!

Study It

Think about this picture and study it before the next post.


The creation of Adam, by Michelangelo Buonarroti on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

What "The Fellowship" Means To Me

As a born-Christian, meaning I was born into a Christian family, I always knew about the Holy Spirit (HS). Not only did I know who the HS was, but also what the HS did for me. My whole life I had thought of the HS as this ghost who lived inside my heart and acted as my conscience between right and wrong. Although, I was partly right in thinking that I also was missing a major part of the story. Having the HS in me was experiencing the presence of God!! 


Have I been living my whole life as if God were inside me? Absolutely Not! 
Have I taken advantage of the HS inside of me? Absolutely! 
Did reading the book God is Closer Than You Think change my whole perspective of the HS? You betcha'!


When I read about Ortberg's perception of the HS I was fascinated. God's gift to us when He returned to heaven after His resurrection was the HS. At first he gave it the the apostles and it appeared as a tongue of fire above their heads! How cool is that!? Now anyone is able to access the HS. We have a free and everlasting connection to God! Available 24/7/365! All we have to do is lift a finger. 


How did this change the way I think? I now feel so ungrateful for having the HS with me 24/7/365 and not appreciating the presence I am in. I have God all in the palm of my hand and I did nothing to earn it. God has given me the miracle of the HS, and I couldn't ask for anything more. 


And yet, we are human. We forget how precious the life we have is. We forget to give thanks for the things we have gotten so used to having. We forget that we are constantly in the presence of God. 

"What if God has been speaking to you, calling your name — only you didn't know it"               — God is Closer Than You Think, John Ortbert

 

The Meaning Behind the Title

The title comes from two places, one being the Bible.

When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the scripture to us?"   — Luke 24: 30-32

 The title also comes from a book I am currently reading called God is Closer Thank You Think. In the book, written by John Ortberg, he talks about this story of Jesus returning to two men walking along the road. He compares this story, the burning of the heart, as feeling God's presence. He questions, 

What if you join the "fellowship of the burning heart" and actually experience His presence?

That's what this blog will be about. My journey and goal to be a part of the fellowship of the burning heart and experience God on a daily basis. To feel my heart burn because I know He is here!