In today's world, people are given to pursuing pleasure and personal gratification. Entertainment dominates people's lives to an amazing extent while personal interaction diminishes in importance.
Sadly, this trend is often reflected in religion. We don't have time for God or other Christians in our lives. Sure, we go to church, but the services may be shorter, the worship band the main attraction, the sermon tailored to the attention span of ADD teenagers, and time for fellowship non-existent. Throughout the week we plan to read the Bible and spend time in prayer, but "life happens" and those plans may fall by the wayside, revealing our true priorities in life.
That is not the biblical model for seeking God. Isaiah 26:8-9 says "In the path of your judgments, O Lord, we wait for you; your name and remembrance are the desire of our soul. My soul yearns for you in the night; my spirit within me earnestly seeks you."
As Christians, our minds are to be focused constantly on Christ. "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you" (Is. 26:3). It takes effort to make pursuing God a priority in our lives, but it is the most rewarding thing we can do. And it is the right thing for us to do as beings created in the image of God. Our purpose is to bring honor and glory to God, and we can do this by making Him #1 in every facet of our lives.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Saturday, April 16, 2011
The joy and wonder of knowing Jesus
When the wise men found the infant Jesus, they "rejoiced exceedingly with great joy...and fell down and worshiped him" and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh (Matt. 2:10, 11). We don't know what happened to the wise men after their encounter with the baby Jesus, but it is likely that we know more about the truth of the risen Christ than the wise men ever did.
The wise men were struck with wonder and adoration at the sight of the infant Son of God without knowing the full purpose of His coming to earth. As Christians, we should be filled daily with a sense of awe, amazement and gratitude for the marvelous love for us that Jesus displayed on the cross and throughout his life. There is no sacrifice we should not be willing to make for a God who gave so much for us, no command we should not eagerly follow, no part of our life we should hold back from utterly following Him.
When we take time to reflect on the beauty of God's love for us and the wonder of the work he has done on our behalf, it should be a natural response to praise him. Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, for he has done marvelous things for us!
The wise men were struck with wonder and adoration at the sight of the infant Son of God without knowing the full purpose of His coming to earth. As Christians, we should be filled daily with a sense of awe, amazement and gratitude for the marvelous love for us that Jesus displayed on the cross and throughout his life. There is no sacrifice we should not be willing to make for a God who gave so much for us, no command we should not eagerly follow, no part of our life we should hold back from utterly following Him.
When we take time to reflect on the beauty of God's love for us and the wonder of the work he has done on our behalf, it should be a natural response to praise him. Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, for he has done marvelous things for us!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Being thankful for rest
"And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done" (Gen. 2:2).
The world today is such a busy place that it can be hard to catch your breath at times. In such a fast-paced and often stressful environment, rest can be almost impossible to come by. While it's good to be busy (the Bible warns against idleness), it's good to also keep in mind that rest is a God-ordained blessing which we are to be thankful for.
In a way, rest was God's final act of creation. Rest is what keeps our bodies alive, our minds active, and our moods from becoming irritable. We should respect the gift of rest and not abuse our bodies by depriving them of a wonderful thing God has given to us!
The world today is such a busy place that it can be hard to catch your breath at times. In such a fast-paced and often stressful environment, rest can be almost impossible to come by. While it's good to be busy (the Bible warns against idleness), it's good to also keep in mind that rest is a God-ordained blessing which we are to be thankful for.
In a way, rest was God's final act of creation. Rest is what keeps our bodies alive, our minds active, and our moods from becoming irritable. We should respect the gift of rest and not abuse our bodies by depriving them of a wonderful thing God has given to us!
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
We have an amazing hope for the future
2 Peter 3:13 tells us that "according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells."
It can be easy to lose sight of the plan God has for earth. But as Christians, we know that we should not be utterly discouraged by the mess that humans tend to make of things here. We have a hope beyond the wildest Utopian dreams of secular philosophers! We have a promise that some day there will be a new heavens and a new earth in which there will be perfect righteousness. What an amazing thought, and what an awesome God we have to give us such a promise!
It can be easy to lose sight of the plan God has for earth. But as Christians, we know that we should not be utterly discouraged by the mess that humans tend to make of things here. We have a hope beyond the wildest Utopian dreams of secular philosophers! We have a promise that some day there will be a new heavens and a new earth in which there will be perfect righteousness. What an amazing thought, and what an awesome God we have to give us such a promise!
How do we know if we love God? If we obey his commandments!
1 John 2:3-6 says: And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says "I know him" but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
This passage is very encouraging to me. Sometimes I feel discouraged by not "feeling" as enthusiastic as I'd like to about my walk with God. But the Bible says that if I keep God's law, in me truly is the love of God perfected. Of course, this isn't to say I shouldn't strive for a more and more exciting relationship with God, but it's encouraging nonetheless!
This passage is very encouraging to me. Sometimes I feel discouraged by not "feeling" as enthusiastic as I'd like to about my walk with God. But the Bible says that if I keep God's law, in me truly is the love of God perfected. Of course, this isn't to say I shouldn't strive for a more and more exciting relationship with God, but it's encouraging nonetheless!
Friday, April 1, 2011
God is our helper
It's amazing how often we forget to ask God for help with life's difficulties, be it financial issues, job opportunities, or relationship problems. So often we feel we can handle issues on our own, that we can figure out the best thing to do and everything will be fine. In so doing we leave our greatest asset in life behind: God!
I'm not saying of course that praying to God is some sort of a tool that can be used to make things go our way, but the Bible is clear that God does bless those who look to him for help and guidance. I've talked to fellow Christians I know who have been struggling somewhat financially and asked if they have prayed about their difficulties. Their answer: no, because it was their own choices that got them into their present situations.
I was amazed at this. It wasn't as if they had made foolish or immoral financial decisions, and yet they didn't think to ask God for help.
Of course it is not only with financial issues that Christians tend to take things in their own hands without taking things to God in prayer (often thinking they're just "taking responsibility" for their situations). But the Bible says we are to take everything to the Lord in prayer in faith. God is our greatest resource in life, and he is infinite, all-powerful and all-knowing. We are blessed to have him for strength, wisdom and guidance in every facet of life!
I'm not saying of course that praying to God is some sort of a tool that can be used to make things go our way, but the Bible is clear that God does bless those who look to him for help and guidance. I've talked to fellow Christians I know who have been struggling somewhat financially and asked if they have prayed about their difficulties. Their answer: no, because it was their own choices that got them into their present situations.
I was amazed at this. It wasn't as if they had made foolish or immoral financial decisions, and yet they didn't think to ask God for help.
Of course it is not only with financial issues that Christians tend to take things in their own hands without taking things to God in prayer (often thinking they're just "taking responsibility" for their situations). But the Bible says we are to take everything to the Lord in prayer in faith. God is our greatest resource in life, and he is infinite, all-powerful and all-knowing. We are blessed to have him for strength, wisdom and guidance in every facet of life!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Suffering in the Right
1 Peter 3:17 says "It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil." It can be incredibly difficult to suffer wrongfully. Wrongful suffering can take many forms-not just persecution or vindictiveness. It can take many common forms, often involving people you love and who love you.
For example, a friend could blame you for something in your friendship that is not your fault, and which you can clearly see is in fact their fault. You may be right about that, but if they don't respond to you pointing that out in a gentle and non-accusatory way, the thing to do isn't continuing to insist that you are right. More than likely, the godly response is to let the issue drop-even if the other person still thinks you are in the wrong.
This is especially hard for me to do, since one of the things I hate worst is being wrongfully accused and having people think things are true of me that aren't. It's hard for me to let it go when someone (especially someone I care about and have a strong relationship with) thinks I'm wrong and I know I'm not. But I know from experience that arguing the point is likely to lead to unnecessary strife, and even if I eventually prove my point the other person probably won't think any the better of me than they did in the first place.
Two minor points should be clarified. First, letting matters go isn't always the correct response. Major issues probably ought to be cleared up before serious misunderstandings develop. Second, it is possible that you will realize you WERE in the wrong all along. If that's the case, you've avoided looking foolish by letting the matter go.
For example, a friend could blame you for something in your friendship that is not your fault, and which you can clearly see is in fact their fault. You may be right about that, but if they don't respond to you pointing that out in a gentle and non-accusatory way, the thing to do isn't continuing to insist that you are right. More than likely, the godly response is to let the issue drop-even if the other person still thinks you are in the wrong.
This is especially hard for me to do, since one of the things I hate worst is being wrongfully accused and having people think things are true of me that aren't. It's hard for me to let it go when someone (especially someone I care about and have a strong relationship with) thinks I'm wrong and I know I'm not. But I know from experience that arguing the point is likely to lead to unnecessary strife, and even if I eventually prove my point the other person probably won't think any the better of me than they did in the first place.
Two minor points should be clarified. First, letting matters go isn't always the correct response. Major issues probably ought to be cleared up before serious misunderstandings develop. Second, it is possible that you will realize you WERE in the wrong all along. If that's the case, you've avoided looking foolish by letting the matter go.
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