Recently, my wife and I went on a short trip to South Dakota to get away from our ordinary routine. We visited a famous stone monument etched into the side of a mountain. It was extraordinary — really, quite breathtaking. People come from all around the world to see it. Taking pictures of the monument with their families to remember the time when they visited South Dakota and viewed the monument. But what happens after we leave this extraordinary monument — just mark it off the checklist? I believe the architects of the monument desired us to take away more the just marking the destination of a bucket list. I believe they wanted to instill a change of the heart.
So where am I going with this dialogue? While I was at this monument and watching the visitors’ taking pictures, learning the history of why and how this monument was constructed, I wondered how many people in this world treat God as an extraordinary monument. Maybe once a year, we take time to honor Him by attending a church service. Maybe praying to Him when things get out of hand. Maybe writing a twenty dollar check to the church to ease a guilty conscience. All these things to check a task off when remembering the God-checklist.
But God is not a monument. God is a person. He wants our hearts. In fact, I believe God wants to instill a change in our hearts. So, what do we do? We take time to listen to the still small voice of our Creator. I promise that when we take time to listen, the stone caked around our hearts will crumble away and beneath it all will be a transformation — one of extraordinary measures. Something more than a souvenir. Something we can take home with us throughout time and beyond. Now that’s breathtaking.
Discussions to make God known 