June 2019 Archives
More of God?
I remember when people would cry out to God to send more of His Spirit and fill them with more of Himself. Recently, I was listening to the Dove Brothers sing, “It’s not that I need more of God but He needs more of me,” and that hit a chord with me (pardon the pun). God has given us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3) but many times we do not cling to those things. Instead, we pursue our selfish pleasures and then wonder why we are not as close to the Lord as we’d like to be. I have been examining my heart in this as well.
I too would like to be closer to the Lord than I am but it is easy to let the cares and hecticness of life crowd out the time that I need to be spending in His presence and studying His Word. This is something I want to remedy. Doing a Bible study at night when I’m able is helpful for me but sometimes it can be a while before I get a quiet night where I’m not too tired to do this. Therefore, I must be proactive to find other ways to spend quality time with Him.
Years ago, the question was asked, “If you don’t feel close to God, who moved?” Hebrews 13:5 reminds us that “God will never leave you nor forsake you” so if you aren’t close to the Lord, I can answer the question and say that it’s not Him who has distanced.
Psalm 42:1 says, “As the hart pants after the water brooks, so pants my soul after you, O God.” When I go too long without eating, I begin to get shaky and I feel sick. This is how desperate we should be for the Father. We tend to treat Him like someone who will be there when we want to spend time with Him but, when we’re too busy, He’ll understand. I want to say that He doesn’t understand. He desires close fellowship with you but He will not force you to take that time. He wants you to come to Him because you love Him and you want to spend every moment of every day with Him.
Keith Green sang, “How can they live without Jesus? How can they live without God’s love?” I want to ask, How can you live without Jesus? How can I live without Jesus? I’m so thankful that we don’t have to live without Him. He means everything to me, and I pray that I live a life that reflects that in everything I do and say, beginning with spending time with Him, worshiping Him, studying His Word, and letting Him know how much I love Him.
In closing, let me say again, It’s not that we need more of God but He needs more of us!
Photo by John Royle on Unsplash
Dwelling in the House of the Lord
One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple. ~Psalm 27:4
Have you ever wondered what it means to “dwell in the house of the Lord”? In the above verse, the psalmist is not only wanting to experience it but he wants to dwell there all the days of my life.” Today, we would probably think of the house of the Lord as being a church building; however, the average person does not live there. It is just a place that we visit a few times a week at most. I believe the answer comes in Jesus’ words in Luke 17:21 where He says, “Neither shall they say, See here! or, see there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” I desire to dwell in God’s presence–His Kingdom–24/7 all the days of my life … and beyond!
If you want to be nitpicky, you may remind me that we are always in God’s presence, and I do not argue that point. However, there is a difference between God watching everything we do and actually walking beside us, having fellowship with us, and directing us. I want to be aware of God’s presence–not just mentally but tangibly.
When you dwell in God’s presence, there is also a peace and a joy that cannot be explained. It is not only something you feel and experience but it is something that radiates to those around you. Just as bad attitudes are catchy, joy can also be catchy. It’s hard to be in too foul a mood when those around you are rejoicing.
It is easy to become focused on self and circumstances. I understand that. But I don’t want to stay there. One of my favorite hymns says:
Lord, lift me up and let me stand
By faith on Heaven’s tableland
A higher plane than I have found
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground
Do I hear an Amen?!
Photo by John-Mark Smith on Unsplash
In the Valley … He Restoreth My Soul
For a while now, I have been singing this song that Dottie Rambo wrote but, at the time, I wasn’t going through a valley. It is just the song that God kept bringing to my mind. Today, I find myself going through a minor trial, and I am once again focusing on the words of this song and thanking God that He is near.
I would like to be able to tell you that I am continuously rejoicing and fully resting in God’s will for my life but I confess this is still a process. I do believe that I have made progress in the last 20 years or so but the work is not completed, and I expect that this is one reason that I keep going through these things.
They say that trials can make you bitter or better. I understand this as, with each trial that comes my way, I have a choice: Do I let God handle it and trust Him to work it out, or do I lean on my own understanding and fight my way out, convinced that I could do a better job than He seems able to do? Giving up control can be difficult and yet God has shown me time and time again how much He loves me. If this is true, why would I not surrender every part of my life to Him? After all, as Dottie also said, “He ain’t never done me nothin’ but good.”
I don’t know what you’re going through right now but I encourage you to give it to Jesus. Maybe you’re being slandered, or you’re grieving the loss of a loved one, or you’re going through a debilitating illness … you are not alone. God is waiting for you to turn to Him. He may not change your situation but He will carry you through it. I would much rather walk with God through the valleys than walk on the mountaintop alone. How about you?
