With Every Fiber Of My Being

I am thankful for my five senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. I think, like most of us, I take them for granted and just expect that they'll be there. But this morning, after reading my daughter's blog alannahrenee.blogspot.ca about our five senses, I thought that I would take a moment to tell you what I am seeing, hearing, touching, tasting and smelling, right now.

Seeing: in the living room, a sweet, chocolate brown Cocker Spaniel, named Lilly Rose curled up, on the couch beside me asleep. Through the open bedroom door I can see my husband sound asleep with his Basset Hound, Duke, beside him.

Hearing: Through the screen door I can hear the rain pouring down and my wind chimes playing a morning song. All is quiet, inside, except for the hum of my computer.

Touch: I loved feeling the soapy, hot water on my hands as I washed the dishes up this morning that I had left in the sink from last night's supper.

Taste: I love the taste of my sweet, Tennessee style tea, especially on a hot afternoon while I am sitting in the swinging chair under the spruce tree watching the dogs play together in the yard. But I loved tasting it this morning after doing the dishes too.

Smell: What am I smelling right now? A mixture of wet dog and chocolate scented candle. The dog on one side of me, the candle on the other. Now you might say, I'd rather have the candle, but really, wet dog, when it is a dog that you love, can be a very earthy, comforting smell, or maybe not.

God gave each of us five senses but He also gave us something else which sets us apart from all other creatures: He gave us a soul. And because of that soul we are connected to God in a way that is truly unique and precious. That soul never ages. It will never change. Who we are when we are born is who we are when we die. Yes, the body we live in, the tent so to speak, will age and change but who we really are inside never does. The soul will live forever. It never dies.

So since we know that our soul is eternal, its imperative that we choose where that soul will spend eternity when our tents wear out. Yes, it is our choice. God doesn't force you to go to Heaven or Hell, and yes, they are real places. He has given all of us free choice. But it is His will that none should perish. He wants us all to live in Heaven eternally, but we have to choose to go there.

How do we make the choice of where our soul will live forever? By either following God and His ways or not.It's as simple as that.  If we choose to do things our own way and live in a way which is contrary to God's laws we will spend eternity in Hell. But if we choose life by asking God to forgive us of our sins and then we determine to live for Him, then our soul, who we are, will live in Heaven with Him.

I enjoy having all of my senses working. I love being aware of them and with every fiber of my being I want to live for Christ. I want to sense His presence with me as I sing praises to Him (Psalm 22:3). I want to know that He is as close as the mention of His name (Jeremiah 33:3). I want to see Him reflected in His creation all around me (Acts 14:15-17). I want to be acutely aware of Him, with everything that I have, with every sense that He has placed in me, with every fiber of my being (Luke 10:27).