Do we praise God enough? Does our adoration for Him bubble up in us as joyous song, or wonderful acclamation? God, is worthy of our praise; a praise that springs forth in jubilation from the love we harbor in our hearts for Him. We often shed tears of joy as we sing His praise... are we ready to lift Him up and let the tears flow today?
When we call upon the Lord in our times of hardship or trouble do we have the faith, trust, and the courage to wait on Him? Can we sit perfectly still in His shadow, like a rabbit frozen beneath a bush as the hounds approach, or does our fear mount within us until we flinch and run, renewing the chase once more? Trusting in God, and His promises, should give us the courage to wait on Him, but is our hope in Him strong enough?
God is love and he loves us perfectly. When we accept this fact then we can understand our true relationship with Him, and He will reside in the deepest recesses of our heart and soul. How can we say we know God if we don’t know His love, and how can we say that we are created in His image, and not have His love within us? To believe in God is to believe in love... who is it that abides in us today?
We read the scripture and pause on words like peace, rest, walk, and eternity, partially because these make us feel relaxed in our hectic lives, but in reality our faith, and witnessing to others is urgent. Jesus is returning, and when He does the time for decisions and action will be over... instantly! Do you want to be caught between prayers, waiting for a better time to profess your faith, or having lost a soul by putting off a gospel conversation until it was too late?
For those of us who have come to see even a glimmer of the glory of God through Jesus, we find it inconceivable how someone could not worship Him, and yet so many refuse His call. How is this possible, and how could they be so blind to the truth that is God’s glory? They have become blinded by the gods in the world which they have concocted for themselves... how rampant runs human selfishness that men will lose their soul for a few bobbles of earthly wealth and pleasure.
Do we desire to be more intelligent, wise, and in control of our lives than we ever dreamed possible? If so the secret to accomplishing this is in studying, and meditating on the Word of God, and specifically on the commandments He and Jesus give us. In doing this we find new depth in the simplest sounding precepts, and sweetness rather than drudgery in obeying them. Then by using the fruit of our meditation in worship, we find that it wears smooth the rough and cutting sharpness of the hardest and most edgy commandments, and lifts our faith to new heights.
Where do we keep God’s Word? Do we keep it in our bedroom next to our bed to read at night? Is it beside that place where we sit to rest so that in the quiet times we can contemplate it? Scripture tells us to keep God’s Word with us always, to bind it to our fingers as if it were our works, and to copy it onto our heart as a scribe might. The Word of God is meant to be with us always.
Where would we be without God’s amazing love, and mercy towards us? We would be lost to ourselves, and all of the anarchy, hatred, and violence that flows from us. We like to think that we are intrinsically good, but our actions indicate otherwise; we are sinful creatures who yield to sin and chaos. Without the incredible love towards us that prompted God to send his Son Jesus to die for our sins at the hands of this human chaos, and hatred, we would truly be lost. He redeems us and transforms us day by day with His love, mercy, and grace.
We are all sinners; you, me, all of us, but God sent His Son Jesus to cure this disease in us... to overcome the sin that plagues us. Yet you respond to me by saying: “You don’t understand, I have done terrible things, my sins are black as coal, I am unforgivable.” Well my friend, I am glad to hear you say that because it tells me that you realize the tragic power of sin in your life, but trust me when I say that you are not the worst of us, and even if you were, Jesus is greater than the sin in you. Every sinner has echoed your words... even the Apostle Paul.
When we achieve something without doing the work or abiding by the rules then we find that there is a hollow place in us where satisfaction, joy, and great peace should reside. It is the same in our faith, and the practice of our religion. Vying for a position of faith, or to be a board member, without being honest in our faith, or by seeking votes by subterfuge, leaves us wanting; we might be called a deacon, or be voted onto the board, but how are we left feeling as we stand before God? Men can’t see our heart, but God can, and He sees an emptiness there.
If we are to dwell with God in eternity we must be contrite regarding our sins, and our spirit must be found humble. If we are unrepentant, and haughty how can we possibly be as Jesus is, and in this way we will fall short of God’s desire that we be holy as He is Holy. In the course of our faith why do we shy away from being identified as holy? Are we afraid that we will fall short of such a lofty expectation and title? Well, fear not!
Second only to fear, doubt causes us to hesitate in our faith more than anything else. When God asks us to step out for Him, we may be reluctant to because we are afraid, but almost as likely as the feeling of fear, what freezes us in our tracks is doubt. When we are uncertain if He will act and see us through our tough spots it is very hard to take those bold steps of faith. Trusting in God requires that we defeat the doubt that is crippling us.
Do we characterize our relationship with God as one in which we fear Him? If not then perhaps we misunderstand the meaning of the word fear in relation to Him. Fearing God is not meant to convey the fact that we are afraid of Him... When we fear God we are giving Him our respect and reverence, for which He in return blesses us.
Our God is more than just strong, He is all powerful, and nothing is beyond His ability; nothing physically, spiritually, or mentally, is too great for Him to accomplish. He is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent... all powerful, all knowing, and present everywhere. If He weren’t loving, good, merciful, and just, He would strike terror in every man, but in fact His goodness pervades all things... even our hearts when we are yet in sin. He sees enough good in us, that He reaches out to us through His Son Jesus to redeem us. He has made us in His image, and in our most decrepit state there is a touch of His goodness remaining within us; a glimmer of His hope, love, and goodness smolders there, enough that He will save us if we will open ourselves to Him.
Are we sorrowful today, and is the joy we once felt diminished, as our happiness is draining from us? Have we been brought low and find ourselves on our knees before God crying out for the relief that only He can provide? If this is true, and we are on our knees before Him, then we should view the trials which have brought us such pain to be joy, and our posture before Him an indication that our faith has been successfully tested.