I sit in the lobby of a grand hotel.

People walking past.

Eating, drinking, talking.

And I sit here alone.

Or so it seems.

I am not.

I am not alone.

I contemplate how people chase after this.

This comfort, this beauty, this luxury, this status.

And I know that I know that I know

that after all these years, what I really want

is not this.

What I want

is to know YOU.

To hear You.

To sense You.

To breathe in God.

To love You

The One who rains down love and mercy and grace on me.

The One who knows

Me.

And I know that I know that I know

That this world really has nothing for me.

Compared to You.

How can it be that I am free to love and be loved by my Creator?

To know You through Your written Word?

You have revealed Yourself to me!

And to all of the people in this room.

But do they know?

Do they know that Your eyes are ever on them?

That Your heart longs for them?

In the midst of all the activity and the splendor and the money

My spirit wants You.

And I know that I know that I know

That You are the only One who satisfies.

That knowing You

and loving You

is my greatest gift

My greatest treasure

My honor

And so I draw ever closer to You

as You draw ever closer to me

And I sit alone

Here in this lobby

Alone

But not.

– Susie Stewart

Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.  For His sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all garbage, so that I could gain Christ.

– Philippians 3:8 (NLT)

Photos taken by Susie Stewart