I've started this morning devotional by Shelia Walsh called Good Morning, Lord. It's been really good so far and has allowed me to have something to meditate on as I go throughout my day. Today's focus was, "Today, I will focus on being Your friend." Sounds kinda cheesy doesn’t it? I mean, I'm not gonna lie...when I first saw the title I thought, "I might just skip over this one." Haha. But I didn't, and I'm so glad.
Shelia shared about how we can all get caught up in "doing things" for God. Often times we focus so much on the fact we are "doing" that we lose sight of why we are "doing".
So…why? Well, we "do" because we want to give back to our God. It is out of our love and appreciation for Him that we seek to serve Him with our lives...ministry is out of the overflow.
To have overflow, there must be a foundation. That foundation is our friendship, our relationship with Christ. As Shelia put it, "Christian service is a poor substitute for knowing Jesus." He doesn't just want our stuff that we "do" for Him. No! He wants our love, affection, and attention...He wants ALL of us.
Psalm 139 is a very familiar and often quoted psalm. Truth is, I've read it a thousand times, and I "know" it in my head, but rarely do I find evidence that I believe it with my heart.
13 For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.
The question was posed, “What does Psalm 139 reveal about God’s intimate love for you?” An old truth hit me in a new way…God is “for me”. He’s been “for me” before me! “…you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Okay, I don’t knit, but when I think of knitting I think of concentrated time and effort. Intentionality. Focus. Purpose. And joy (who knits if they don’t enjoy it?!!)
If God knit me, He must be for me!! He wanted to make me. He knew what He wanted, and He set out to do it. He’s loved me before I was me.
Oh God, that is a wonderfully encouraging and liberating truth!!!! Thank you for being “for me”. Forgive me when my mind is clouded by the lies that tell me You love me for what I “do” for You, or when I’m trapped by the thinking that You can’t love me because I don’t “do”. It’s my stubbornness, pride, and unbelief that chooses not to take You at Your Word. Forgive me, and give me the grace to change…the grace to just “be your friend”.
No comments:
Post a Comment