From my journal today: “Exercising in God’s Word”

These three verses hit me today…

“When they had pasture, they were filled; They were filled and their heart was exalted; Therefore they forgot Me.” — Hosea 13:6

“Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.” — Psalm 100:1,2

“But solid food belongs to those who are full of age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” — Hebrews 5:14

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When God supplies all I ever need or want, do I put Him aside? How often is my god a genie-god? Do I only want stuff, happiness, and comfort?

How much of my life is spent coming to the Lord in singing, in gladness? In those moments, is it because of who He is, or because of what He’s given?

It seems the answer to both of those is changed when I move from drinking baby’s milk to solid food. In other words — spend time in His Word. As a friend shared a couple of weeks ago, just spending time in His Word, though at the moment is uneventful, produces internal change over time.

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Holy Spirit,

Thank You for moving within me, helping me make God’s Word a priority in my day. God will be exalted as His Living Word takes root, as my training equips me,  not for my purposes, but for God’s purposes and Glory.

May my days become a song to God, even when I suffer through a lack of all I need, for I would rather go hungry for food and know the Father deeply, than have all I want or need, but lose intimacy with Christ Jesus.

I am week, but God is Strong. Make my life about God’s strength, not about my weaknesses.

Amen

 

From my journal today…

¹² Sow for yourselves righteousness,
reap the fruit of unfailing love,
and break up your unplowed ground;
for it is time to seek the LORD,
until he comes
and showers righteousness on you. Hosea 10:12

²⁴ You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.

²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you. Psalm 73:24-25

¹Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. Hebrews 4:1

¹²For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  Hebrews 4:12

¹⁶Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.  Hebrews 4:16

Poppa,

Your love is amazing; help open my heart to be a Giver of Your Grace. There is a way of living that holds loosely to this world…I yearn to let go of the things and worries and projects of this life, living instead in the freedom of Your Mercy.

What is the “unplowed ground” in my life that is not receiving Your seed? What am I desiring more than You? What busyness and self-importance am I doing that keeps me moving away from finding rest in You? Am I approaching Your throne in confidence, or shame?

How much of my life is spent pursuing the acceptance of men over the call You place on my life?

 

Worth reading…

Thinking through how to live each day, this post is helpful…

 

From my journal today: “Drink Deeply”

¹² How can I repay the LORD
for all his goodness to me?¹³ I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the LORD.

¹⁴ I will fulfill my vows to the LORD
in the presence of all his people.   Psalm 116:12-14

Cry unto God; stop grasping and hiding after the idols in my life, searching for answers apart from God and His cup of salvation.

Drink deeply, for though it is undeserved, it has been offered. Drink deeply with a heart of gratefulness and humbleness. Don’t drink meekly, out of a sense of worthlessness! True, I’m not worthy, but God is and His gift of salvation has been bought at a great price. Drink deeply, for I have been chosen; drink deeply to give honor and glory to the Give of the cup.  Drink deeply, for I am a beloved child of God, and an heir to the throne of Christ.  Drink deeply.

 

From my journal today: “…we should become heirs…”

¹⁷ learn to do right!
Seek justice,
encourage the oppressed. ^[a]
Defend the cause of the fatherless,
plead the case of the widow.   Isaiah 1:17

⁸ Their land is full of idols;
they bow down to the work of their hands,
to what their fingers have made.   Isaiah 2:8

⁷so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.   Titus 3:7

The process of being shaped by the Creator is maybe more or just as important as to who I am becoming.  I mustn’t forget that; the struggle to find God’s path is essential for preparing me to travel that path — this has been true many times in my life.

It can’t be about what I do or want to do; it can’t be about my creating or creations, though the Lord has created us in His image, including a desire to create, for all of this can become idolatry. It has to be about God, His Grace and Mercy. It is about worshipping Him and living a life of service and justice that reveals His Presence and serves His people. Secondary, yet incredibly, is that we serve and worship from a place of honor, as an heir to the hope of eternal life.

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“Learn to do good.”  Who will teach me?

“Seek justice.” For whom?

“Rebuke the oppressor.” Who or what is that?

“Defend the fatherless.”  Defend them how?

“Plead for the widow.” What do they need?

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My life is not my creation. I can’t build it or worship it. I am where I am because God put me here and gave me everything in it. I pursued a girl and got a bride. I loved her and got children. I walked a path and got a job. I entered a building and got a church. Yet, God moved the girl in my path, produced and gifted me with these particular children, chose my vocation (only the first being something I chose and even that was totally different than what I envisioned), and He brought us to a church that wasn’t even conceivable in my mind.  Nothing of my life did I create. Why do I think my future will be any different? Is there ever a time to be content in the present or should there always be a groaning towards growth and change?

The landscape is open before me. Eternity awaits and I will become what I could never imagine. This journey is for learning and growing in the Lord and for the Glory of the Father. He has work for me here, for His people need rescuing, but He controls the outcomes. I must learn to live in worship. First things first.

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Abba,

I want to rejoice in You, to live my life under Your care, tutelage, and creation. I want my life to be a reflection of Your Glory. Show me how to stop the idolatry of my life and live in Your Presence, the future known only to You, and my steps directed by You alone.  Learn, challenge, and suffer through the process of being that God-mirror, yet finding peace and joy and worship of You.

May my goals not be about my self-glory, but about being where I will learn to hunger for You, for Your Kingdom, and for Holiness, and where the gifts You have given me will bloom in the revealing of Your Glory.  Amen