How often do we praise the Lord? Do we praise Him with exuberance, and in the presence of our children, our wives, and others? Any time we thank God it is good, even when we do so in the quiet solitude of our prayer closet, but there is something special about praising Him boldly, and openly, and it increases our faith.
Have you been reading the Bible today, and not found Jesus as you did so? Perhaps you are reading in the Old Testament, and although you read those wonderful accounts of old, you don’t recognize so much as a glimpse of Him. Many times we miss seeing Him because we don’t expect to find Him there. Our reading has become our inadvertent road to Emmaus... we walk and talk to Jesus, and yet we don’t recognize Him.
It’s not easy to be Christian alongside societies that take exception to our faith because it is based on loving a God of mercy, grace, and peace. In a competitive world order where only the strong are meant to survive, and the meek are considered weak, those who love God, and don’t “look out for number one”, are considered an enemy. Our determined revulsion to worldly thinking is looked upon as threatening. This way of living is what Jesus chose us out of, and it makes the world hate and fear us.
Do you want God to think of you in your time of trouble? Do you want Him to remember what you are going through to such a degree that He will place your tears in His bottle, and write an account of it in His book? When we face hardship we call upon the Lord in prayer, and with Him at our side we overcome it... we overcome our suffering by rallying our faith, and trusting in God’s promises. After each such instance we want to do something that will help us remember, and we would like for God to remember as well.
Are we able to earn our own salvation by conforming perfectly to God’s law, living an entirely sin-free life, and doing good works? Well, these are noble pursuits, and doing these things would make us a lot like Jesus was, but unfortunately, even this is beyond our ability.
Do we understand all that Jesus does for us each day? Even when we look at the cross, and think we understand, do we really? We see the end result, the forgiveness of sin, and the defeat of death, but do we really understand all that occurred in just those few days; in just those final moments? Do we grasp all that He endured for us, or how we came to benefit from His sacrifice? In our ignorance, and bold arrogance we might feel like we do, but Jesus Himself tells us we don’t.
Are you seeking God right now? Perhaps you have known Him, but due to some disappointment you have wandered away into the desert and don’t know how to find Him again, or then again you may have never known Him, and only now realize that something is missing in your life and you are looking for the very first time. There are times in every life when we feel separated from God, and we just can’t seem to find Him; we feel alone, lost, and desperately in need of Him. Is this you right now?
When following our faith becomes hard, the direction that scripture is taking us becomes a puzzle, or the lure of the world becomes too strong, are we tempted to walk away from our faith? It is one thing to be tempted, because Satan will tempt, but it is quite another to respond to that temptation. God has called us to Him through Jesus much as we choose our friends, because He is confident that we will not desert Him. Are we truly called to Him, or just following the crowd?
In the world there is such rancor, turmoil, hatred, and war, but in God, and Jesus Christ we find perfect peace. Though the world is frothing, and men are arguing, and striking out at one another in evil intent, our faith brings us the hope, calm, and love, of Christ’s peace. In Jesus we can find escape from the bitterness that we see and hear swirling around us each day, and by the grace of God we are provided His Son as an escape... are you ready to break away from the insanity?
Do you need prayer for your faith right now? Are you suffering doubt, or find yourself silent in your belief? Maybe you are loudly proclaiming a faith that is more like the skin of an apple than it’s sweet flesh beneath. Do you need prayer for your faith at this moment, and are you uncertain who will pray for you? In seasons such as this Jesus prays for us, and if our faith is the least bit evident, we obey Him, and pray for those around us who might be struggling in their faith.
Are we satisfied with spending our lives as the immature children of God? Do we wish to be nothing more than His ward, and sit upon His knee? Is this how we envision Jesus; as a juvenile child that the Father sent unwittingly, and without understanding, to His death upon the cross? No, we should desire to be growing and maturing in our faith, and love, longing to be like Christ who is the head of the church... the groom.
Do songs come to you in the night? In the dark moments of life are you inspired to write music? Perhaps in those times your instrument is a guitar, cymbals, a lyre, poetry, or maybe your voice, but it could easily be whatever other instrument God has blessed you with. If you are an architect perhaps it is a design, or a carpenter... a new and wonderful staircase, or as a chef a magnificent and delicious culinary delight. Whatever your instrument... only God brings song to us from within our suffering.
Do we obey God’s word, and His commands? Are we attentive to His will, and adhere to His precepts? Or, do we lean on His mercy, grace, and forgiveness in daily contrition for the everyday sustenance of our faith... knowing we fail Him repetitively? Is asking for forgiveness day after day a legitimate substitute for obedience?
Even when things are going our way, and the Lord God is blessing us at every turn, we can experience doubt. This is one of the most frustrating challenges to our faith, and the sharpest tool that Satan has at his disposal. When doubt confronts us do we allow it rattle our belief, or do we face it with the resolve that God is true to His Word, and of unwavering character?
There is something very special about having a meal with someone. When we sit down together and eat it joins us in a very basic way, and this understanding doesn’t escape us... we have business dinners, festival dinners, banquets to honor each other, and so many other celebratory meals that bring us together, but beyond that... we dine at the Lord’s table. When was the last time you dined with Jesus?