Title: That Restless Feeling
Date: 2008-10-12
Reference: Hebrews 11: 8-10
Through out this election cycle politicians have been busy trying to convince us of how bad things are and how unhappy we should be. The conventional wisdom is: “If a candidate can convince us of how miserable we are, and assure us, he feels our pain, we will hire him on to fix things. There are some serious challenges in the country just now. Who hasn’t heard about the economic free fall, dwindling stock portfolios, the sub prime crisis, high prices for food and energy. Many people are very worried.
Even in the best of times our souls are restless. We feel there is something missing. A wise man said: “Our souls are restless until we find rest in God.” We were created with a deep desire for a relationship with God. We are spiritual beings. Someone has said we have an inner void and that void is God shaped and can be filled only by God’s Spirit. We try to fill that deep inner void with everything but God. We try to fill it with possessions, power, relationships, diversions of all kinds. It helps for a while but leaves us all the more restless.
In the 12th chapter of Luke Jesus describes a business man who was doing better than ever before. It looked as if he would have one of the most prosperous years he had ever enjoyed. He said to himself: “This is wonderful, all I’ve worked hard for and lived for. I’ll build bigger barns to store my wealth and I can take it easy.” God tapped him on the shoulder and called him a fool. God didn’t call him a fool because he was rich, but because he was poor. God said: “You don’t have anything except what you’ve got on earth. And tonight you will die and leave it all behind.”
We’re in the financial mess we are today because so many of us thought we could gauge our self worth by what we owned. We have been living in a time of greed and acquisition. People have been manipulating and selling bonds, bad loans and making millions. Most thought: “If I can just become wealthy, I’ll be happy.” There is nothing wrong with wealth, but wealth alone will never satisfy that restless feeling.
A young man was driving his sports car around a curve when he realized he was out of control and about to plummet off a cliff. He jumped out of the car but his left arm was severed from his body. He stood there looking down at his burning car. All he could say was: “My beautiful car. O No, my car.” Another man stopped to help and said: “You have lost your arm and all you can do is cry about your car.” The young man looked down at his empty sleeve and said: “O no, my Rolex watch. My beautiful watch.” Material success is not bad. It’s just not enough. Many think life is all about acquiring wealth, power, and prestige. You can acquire all you want and still feel empty inside. Jesus is saying we are made for more.
A Philosopher told the story about a goose who was wounded and who landed in a chicken yard. The goose lived with the chickens, ate with the chickens. After a while he thought he was a chicken. One day a flight of geese came over, migrating to their home. He saw them and heard them and something stirred in his breast calling him to skies. He began to flap the wings he hadn’t used for a long time. He rose a few feet into the air and then settled back into the mud of the barnyard. He heard the cry and was restless but settled for much less.
Whenever we feel restless, deep down, we should never settle for less.
When God calls we should begin making our way home to a place we have never seen.
I’ve always been a little restless about life. This has driven my poor wife crazy over the years. Being restless is not the same as being unhappy or ungrateful for what we have. I am very thankful for the gift of life and for all the good gifts God has given.
At times I am restless. I wish I was a better Christian, a better pastor. I wish I be all those things different people in the church want me to be. I believe I am doing what God has called me to do. I work hard. I try to do my best. Some days the fulfillment runs out and there is that restless feeling. In those times we can’t put our finger on it, but we know something is missing.
Our Wed. Night Bible Study has been looking at the Pentateuch or the first five books of the Old Testament. Much of that material is about Father Abraham. It is encouraging to see how the man known as the Father of Father and the Friend of God, Abraham also had a restless streak.
The first 18 chapters of Genesis tells Abraham’s Story. He lived in Ur as a wealthy, successful, happy man. When he was 75 years old God called him and said: “I want you to go but I’m not ready to tell you where.” Abraham listened and believed. And he went without knowing where he was going.
Abraham left the city life to move to a semi arid place where he had to keep moving just to find grazing for his animals. The Bible says he lived as a stranger in a foreign country. Abraham never really felt comfortable, he never felt at home where he lived. Maybe you feel the same way. There is just something missing in life. Something is pulling you.
I believe it may be the Grace of God at work in our lives reminding us of who we are and whose we are. Abraham had just about everything anybody would want. Ur was a city everyone was trying to get into and not out of. When God called Abraham to pack up and go he did so.
God put a reminder in our hearts that we were created for something more. As wonderful as material possessions are, as much as we enjoy them, we can never be satisfied by material success only. God didn’t call Abraham to become a poor man. He was wealthy all his life. When people work hard they usually do alright. Even as a wandering nomad, Abraham was quite wealthy. He was known as the wealthiest person in the whole country. God didn’t say: “Give everything up. Give it all away.” God said: “This isn’t enough for you. This is not going to satisfy you. This is not enough for someone made in my image.”
Again in our Bible Study we have seen God’s purpose and desire for us has never changed. From the beginning God has wanted a personal relationship with His Sons and Daughters. We were created for a deep friendship with God. In the Book of Genesis we read how God came in the cool of the day to walk with his people. God wanted to enjoy their company. We human beings have moved steadily away from God and we have been restless ever since. I believe God uses that restless feeling to remind us of God and to bring us back home where we belong. Deep down we know we were created for more. When we settle for less than the best we become very restless. We are like to goose in the barnyard. Our spirits long to fly but selfishness, greed, and materialism keeps us firmly planted on earth.
One of the reasons for tensions among family members today is the unreasonable expectation that another human being will be able to fill the void is our heart and soul. We rush into relationships expecting another person to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. When it doesn’t happen we become disillusioned with the relationship, friendship, marriage. We decide to look elsewhere for someone who will be able to tame our restless hearts. We can no more fill our deepest need in life with a relationship than we can with possessions.
Sometimes we try to fill the void in our hearts with work or hobbies of all kinds. Eventually the career ends the hobby ceases to hold our interest. Once again we become disillusioned. We wonder why some people do so well in retirement while others are so miserable. Maybe it’s because some sought ultimate meaning and satisfaction in their work. Hard work, loyalty, dedication are all basic core values for me. But one’s whole life must never be based on a job.
The Bible and experience teaches how true fulfillment comes only when God is in first place in our lives. In our society role models and heros are those for whom money and power is first. My son is working on a report on the life of Mother Teresa. Too often in our system people like Mother Teresa slip into second or third place. That is just not right. Abraham was a very wealthy man and yet he was also a man of great faith. It’s good to possess wealth if wealth does not possess you. It is impossible to follow God and live only for worldly wealth. As Jesus said: “You cannot serve God and money.”
Abraham felt God’s call. And by faith he made his home in the promised land. He lived like a stranger in a foreign country. He lived in tents.
He became a permanent alien. He knew he would never be settled in this land. He was faithful because God had given him a vision. He was looking forward to the city whose architect and builder is God. Abraham looked forward to a city that would last.
If you feel restless this day and cannot put your finger on the cause, look deep within. I believe the Grace of God is calling you and reminding you that one cannot ever be truly satisfied apart from a relationship with God. When God calls may we be like Abraham and go.
