Chasing The Sun
Looking out of the window from 36,000 feet I could see the pale blue sky above and a solid layer of white clouds like shag carpet lying below. As I stared, I began listening to hear what Holy Spirit was saying. I wasn’t listening because He was moving me to, I was listening because I knew He always enjoys engaging me in conversation. As I listened my eyes drifted from directly outside my window towards the nose of the plane where I could see a warm glow from the setting sun. As soon as my attention was captured by the glow I heard Holy Spirit say, “Chasing the sun”.
There I was sitting in seat 20F, heading to the Island of Hawaii. We had taken off from Los Angeles, right as the sun began to set, and so the chase was on! Funny thing about flying west just before sunset, the sun seems to hang on the horizon “about to set” for hours, giving the impression that the chase could go on forever, but gradually you slowly fall behind, the sun moves beyond the horizon and the last rays of light dim into darkness. And so it happened, somewhere over the Pacific Ocean the chase came to an abrupt halt and the realization hit; you can never catch the sun!
I realize what I’m about to say might be really upsetting for some, but will be liberating for others. You see, my experience mirrored the spiritual condition of many around the world who considers themselves God chasers. For a God chaser, God always seems to be right there in front of you, allowing you to see the soft glow of His presence, even experiencing His tangible warmth at times through visitations and encounters, but never seeming to catch Him in His fullness. Day by day is spent pursuing Someone that seems to be uncatchable, eventually the encounters can’t satisfy the appetite, enthusiasm gives way to desperation, desperation gives way to frustration, then frustration finally gives in to apathy. Apathy doesn’t mean you no longer care, just you’ve grown weary of the chase, deciding that the dream of entering in His fullness is unobtainable and so you settle for a lesser dream, you settle for a life of moving from one glimpse of His glory to another, hoping the times between won’t be too long.
Years ago I hung around a bunch of people who considered themselves God chasers. These were incredible men and women of God; individuals who had a tremendous love for God. They were extremely passionate for Him and I admired them for it. The problem was never their love and passion, the problem was they were chasing someone they could never catch. No matter how much they repented, fasted, worshipped, or soaked in His presence, they could never obtain their goal of catching God. It would never happen as long as they continued chasing after Him. How could you say that you might ask? It’s simple, you can’t catch what you already have!
Something remarkable, even miraculous occurred when you were born again. Scripture says that you became a new creation; that you became like Jesus. It goes on to tell how during this miraculous event you became one spirit with Him (1 Cor. 6:17) and that of His fullness you have received. (John 1:16) You see, the fullness of the Godhead dwelt in bodily form in the man Jesus, and you have been made complete in Him! It’s clear, you have already obtained the very thing you keep chasing after; quit chasing and start enjoying His fullness!
So why aren’t you experiencing it? Again it’s simple! As long as you keep chasing after what you already have you are declaring that there is a separation between you and God. You aren’t acknowledging your unity, and until you begin to understand and acknowledge that you have been given the fullness of the Godhead in Christ Jesus it won’t become a reality in your life. (Philemon 1:6) It’s a spiritual principle that Holy Spirit showed me years ago. You become what you gaze upon. As you focus on the reality of God in you then you will begin to see manifestations of that reality. You will find that the things and resources of the Kingdom of God are attracted to you and that they will begin manifesting in your life the more you start acknowledging what has been given to you through the finished work of the cross. Another way to look at it is likeness attracts likeness.
Here is a practical way to implement this in your life. First you need to acknowledge to yourself that the Fullness of Christ Jesus is in you and that you are in Him. Repeat this:
“I have been given the fullness of Christ Jesus by the grace of God! He was given to me as a gift that I receive. I didn’t do anything to earn Him and so I can’t do anything to lose Him! Because the fullness of Jesus is in me then things of the kingdom are attracted to me. Since the Kingdom of God is attracted to me then my circumstances and the environment around me is changed and transformed to be as it is in Heaven. My needs get met, sickness and disease gets destroyed, and life comes to those areas and people around me that appear dead. “
Now that you’ve declared it start looking for it in your daily life. You may not see large changes or extravagant manifestations immediately, maybe you will, but most people start to see small, seemingly insignificant changes or manifestations. Maybe you find a dime on the ground, stop and think God that He provides! Maybe you see a hurting person in the store and you feel compassion for them or have the desire to pray for them. Stop and thank God that the very reason you feel compassion or have the desire to pray for them is proof that He is in you and changing you! Even if you chickened out and didn’t pray for them, thank God that you had the desire! The desire is proof of Christ in you! Then, as you begin to acknowledge the little things in your life you will start see bigger and more miraculous manifestations. You will begin to experience and enjoy the fullness of the One you love, the one you chased but never seemed to catch.
Glen Hartline 