I was remembering a couple of weekends ago about how little I enjoy putting items back up in my attic for storage. I had taken down our artificial Christmas Tree and all the little ornaments and nick-knacks that we place around the house at Christmas, and neatly packaged them back in their storage boxes; only so that I would take everything back upstairs in our attic until next Christmas. I don’t really know why I dislike storing things in the attic so much.
Maybe it’s because I have to lug everything up those ridiculously small steps. Perhaps it’s the cramped quarters or dark spaces? Maybe it’s all the dust? I’m not really sure, but I am sure I don’t like it. Nonetheless, I managed to put all the Christmas storage boxes in their proper place until the excitement of next year’s Christmas begs me to take them down from the attic once again.
It reminded me somewhat of particular times in my Christian Life when I’ve treated God the same way as I’ve treated the items I stored in my attic. There were times that I really didn’t have much use for God. I was too busy. I knew what I was doing and really didn’t need Him anyway. Or, perhaps I was just “tired” of this ole “religion thing” and just didn’t really have a need for God at that time in my life, or at least that’s what I thought. I still believed in God and knew that there was a God, but I just neatly tucked him in “the attic of my mind.” After all, if something ever did come up, I could always ask God to come down out of the attic and tend to my situation. Plus, I knew there were people out there who really needed God more than me. I figured I would let God tend to those folks and then HE wouldn’t have to waste His energy on me. I have to admit, though, I was miserable. During those Spiritually “dry” times in my life, I just simply packaged God into a nice little box; stored him in the attic of my mind; and retrieved Him out of storage only in dire emergencies. I certainly wanted God to be available when I needed Him but, otherwise, I really wanted Him out-of-sight; out-of mind.
I’m really ashamed to admit that my relationship with the Lord was that shallow, at times in my life. However, over time, I realized that my relationship with God had to be–just that–a relationship. My relationship with Christ could not be based on my convenience or when I chose to “use” God. My relationship with Christ had to be personal and intimate. I discovered that God wanted to be with me every step of the way. HE didn’t want to call upon Him only at certain times. Thankfully, HE has always been there when I did need to lean on HIM, but it has been a much more satisfying relationship (for me) when the communication and fellowship with HIM is constant.
Where is your relationship with Christ? Is HE tucked away in the “attic of your mind” only to be called upon on certain occasions, or is HE close and personal all the time. I encourage you to make HIM an everyday; every moment part of your life.
