Object Permanence...

The other day I was reading a book and the author had mentioned object permanence in a sentence. I had a small check, which was odd because it wasn’t in a spot in the book where I felt like I was receiving any sort of correction or conviction or direction from the Holy Spirit, in fact, I was flying through the story being told and it was seriously an insignificant filler thought from the author. Either way, the check was there so I jotted the phrase down and researched it later to find out what it was…Once I began to read up on it, I discovered that an infant does not have the cognitive ability to believe that something exists still once it is removed from its sight. When mom or dad are in the same room and the baby can see them, they are fine, but when they walk away for a moment, the baby has a small panic attack because they process that mom or dad is gone forever. Maybe this is why the game peek-a-boo is such a powerful game for babies 6-8 months old. Mom or dad’s face disappears behind their hands, they believe they will never see it again and then when it reappears so swiftly, it is so startling to them that it generates a surge of energy typically expressed in a laugh or scream. Some kids like it, some don’t. By around 8 months of age, the child begins to realize that mom and dad are permanent in their life, and that when they are out of sight, they still exist. If you hide their pacifier underneath their blanket, they will continue to look for it. If you hide your face behind your hands, they will try to reach for your hands to move them because they know that the obstacle that is obstructing their view can be removed and they will be able to see your face again. Their little minds mature to the point of knowing that objects still exist whether in plain sight or not…As I was reading I felt like the Holy Spirit was showing me something, so I applied my heart to it. What thoughts bubbled up…as adults, we know this basic principle even if we have never had a psychologist spell it out for us…I mean, how often do we misplace our keys or wallet and go searching for it, because we know it still exists, we just misplaced it? For some, more often than others…but what about our dreams? How often do we misplace our vision for our future and get trapped in the busyness of life? You know, our morning routine, go to our jobs or businesses, come home or stop by kid’s events, then come home and eat, then wind down and then repeat. Do we really make the most of this gift we call life? Do we really utilize every single day as an opportunity to pursue the things that once stirred us? The things that at one point of our lives consumed us and we believed we could achieve them? What happened to our dreams? What happened to our vision? Ah, maybe object permanence hasn’t kicked in yet…maybe, just maybe, we haven’t kept our vision in front of us, so we have let the circumstances of life consume us…and not only that, we have settled into “normal”. The American dream right? We have our wife, kids, and our careers and we have learned to be “content” in every situation like Paul says…or did we misinterpret that sentence of scripture in order to not feel confronted with the apathy that stagnates our growth? Didn’t the Lord command Habakkuk to write his vision down on tablets and make it plain so that the man who reads it can be ready to run? Didn’t he say that even though it may tarry (seem delayed), that it's appearance is set for its appointed time? The vision is not a lie, it will come to pass! It definitely does not say, wait until the appointed time, and then run, it says when you read it, RUN! As many people as I speak to on a regular basis, I find that a vast majority of them have had a vision for something great at some point in their life…something deep inside of them, that has purpose, meaning and significance. They had high hopes and high dreams to make their life matter in some way, to fulfill their purpose, but it is no longer in their sight…the cares of this world are ever present though. I believe that every new birth brings with it an assignment…one that we refer to as a dream, a vision, something we must accomplish with our lives. We let the modern day pace of life and all of its demands eventually convince us that our “responsibilities” are our priority and we convince ourselves that we have them in alignment…but do we? God, Family, Country…occupation? Is that the order we operate from?? Our convictions and purpose erode as the vision tarries…Solomon said that God’s people die for lack of this vision…the most effective translation communicates that without the vision God has given us, we cast off all restraint. We lose the discipline to walk out the plan that God has for us, we cast it aside and assume the position of “provider” for our families. Making an income to support existence all the while telling our children they can be whatever they want to be when they grow up. The greatest responsibility that we can take in our lives, is the responsibility to steward the vision that God gave us…to prioritize whatever steps are necessary to position ourselves to accomplish His will for our lives FIRST, and He will provide everything else. Our number one style of learning is through observation. Our posterity witnesses the vast majority of us live outside of the values we speak. Their entire worldview is shaped by how we live, not by what we say. When they see us sell out to the standard pathway the world sets out for us, they follow in step. The children should see the parents pursuing their purpose with every ounce of their being, because it is why they are alive! As babies, we naturally progress in maturity to realizing something still exists even though it’s not in our sight…but as adults, we must keep the vision in front of us, and though it tarry, we are not to grow wearing in doing good (God’s work), but in due season we will reap a harvest if we faint not. As adults, we must mature into the renewed thinking that the world has nothing to offer but barely sustainable existence, and a contentment that is based on circumstance…not peace. God’s plan is a plan to give us a good future, one of hope, one of freedom and liberty and responsibility of stewardship over His gift of Life in Him for the purpose of functioning as an effective part of His body on the earth. Your call, and the gifts that come with it are irrevocable, stop using them to benefit the systems in this world, and start walking in a greater anointing of them as you pursue the vision that was birthed in you through the revelation of Christ Jesus and receiving the baptism of fire with power to live as He called us to…free, on fire, running the race, keeping the faith. A successful life is not one that has acquired a mortgage, car note, credit card bills, a grill with a nice back yard, and a fancy title and respect at a place of employment…a successful life is one that hears “well done thy good and faithful servant” at the separation from the body. I believe we only receive that when we fulfill His purpose for our lives, whatever that may be…get quiet with the Lord and ask Him to remind you why you were so graciously granted the revelation that He is who He said He was, and how you can fulfill your destiny in this life…get ready, life gets really interesting when we align.