"Aggressive Usurpers"

There is a book that resides on my shelf for periodic re-reading and reflection. The passionate heart of the author reveals a pure devotion to Christ, of which I am most envious. A.W. Tozer’s quiet humility in his book, “The Pursuit of God”, reflects the heart of one experienced in true unadulterated communion with God through the crucible of personal trials. The most striking chapter in the book was chapter 2, The Blessedness of Possessing Nothing. It begins with a quote from Mathew 5:3 which says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” This chapter goes on to describe the ways in which fallen man is perverting the gifts of God and consequently ruining the soul of its purest devotion to Christ. These external things man is using to fill the soul are taking over the throne where God belongs, causing extreme turmoil within.

This quote by Tozer sums it up pretty well: “ Men have now by nature no peace within their hearts, for God is crowned their no longer, but there in the moral dusk, stubborn and aggressive usurpers fight amongst themselves for first place on the throne.” His gifts have taken His place in our hearts and have caused terrible spiritual trouble!"

The story of Abraham and Isaac is illustrated to prove this point further. Abraham has finally been given a son after years of waiting on the Lord. Finally, he is a father yet God sees that his heart is becoming idolatrous in his love for Isaac and asks him to give Isaac as a sacrifice. Abraham obeys God and trusts that God will raise Isaac up on the altar. God loves Abraham and wants to keep him from an idolatrous love that will ruin his life. The gift of his son Isaac was never meant to become the sole source of satisfaction. Ultimately for us all, God desires to correct the perversion that exists in our love so that our hearts can be satisfied in Him alone. He is jealous for our whole-hearted, love and affection. Indeed, He is most worthy to receive it as well!

Mathew 16:24-35 explains the cost of true discipleship. The one who loses his life for the sake of Christ will gain life for his soul. “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” This paradox is apparent in the Christian life in how we try to save ourselves through possessing and attaining and yet our souls wither away for lack of true nourishment. In order to truly save our life for eternity, we must learn denial of temporal things that suppress our hunger for God. He is the object of true satisfaction and nourishment for our soul. All else proves to suffocate our desires for Him and ultimately stifles our joy and fulfillment in life. We were created to love Him with our foremost devotion to bring glory to His name!

“As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God…” -Psalm 42:1-2