Psalm 43:4 (NLT)
Others were given in exchange for you.
I traded their lives for yours
because you are precious to me.
You are honored, and I love you.
Psalm 63:1 (NLT)
O God, you are my God;
I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you;
my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land
where there is no water.
Many of us Refugees are recovering addicts of some sort. (Actually, I suppose you could assert we’re all in recovery since “we all have sinned.”) During recovery, we discover many truths, including that our physical bodies are intricately tied to our spiritual lives. And visa versa. For example, we suffer with depression from circumstances and wrestling with GOD which gifts us with such things as stomach pains, social anxiety, and a belligerent scowl. In desperation, we reached out to Jesus for help. He made us a new creation and offered us hope and love. This saves our soul, changed our mindset, and transformed our perceptions. As our spirit was renewed, changes occurred in our body as well. The anxiety eased. We ate better foods. We exercised. We used our new-found energies to serve others, not to drink ourselves into oblivion or waste our time in frivolous pursuits. Having a restored spirit eased physical stress the same way a healthy body (temple) aids spiritual renewal.
Not only was there this physical-spiritual connection, we possessed new desires and delights. Our desires (wants, needs, longings) had always been for temporary fixes- a bottle, a drug, sex, love. And as for delights (enjoyments, satisfaction), there was little to none. None lasting anyway. But when we entered into relationship with Jesus, our desires and delights both flowed from Him. Our greatest longings are for Him and his glory. And this satisfies us to no end. Our delight in Him then increases our desire for more and more of Him. Call it the circle of eternal life. Or the genuine perfect circle.
