Do You Look Up to God?
“Be still and know that I am God”. - Psalm 46:10
The story is told of a British politician who took his 8-year-old daughter on a tour of London. They came to Westminster Abbey and the awesomeness of it struck the little girl. As she gazed at the towering columns and stirring beauty of the Gothic features, her father was intrigued at her concentration.
He looked down at her and asked, “Sweetheart, what are you thinking about?” The little girl replied, “Daddy, I was thinking how big you seem at home and how small you look in here.”
How easily we lose our sense of wonder before God. With age comes experience and wisdom, but if you’re not careful, it can also dull your sense of who God truly is. And when you can’t see God for who He is, your entire vision is skewed.
Remember God’s awesomeness each day – because it’s in that childlike sense of wonder and submission that God raises you up to the full strength of who He created you to be, and what He’s called you to do.
Prayer Challenge:
Ask God to restore your sense of wonder at His awesomeness. Pray that He’ll strengthen you as you stand in awe of His presence.
Questions for Thought:
What are some places or things that remind you of who God truly is and fill you with wonder?
How could a sense of God’s awesomeness strengthen you in your faith?
__________________________________
Forgiving Ourselves
Have you ever come to the Lord in repentance, confessing your wrongdoing, and yet still felt guilty? Sometimes the problem is that we can’t forgive ourselves. Therefore, we go into a self-punishing mode, repeatedly replaying the sin until we feel unworthy not only of pardon but also of blessings, answers to prayer, and the Father’s love. Eventually we build a prison of guilt because our offense seems unforgivable.
But what does such behavior tell us about our faith in God and our estimation of ourselves? According to the Bible, our Father freely bestows forgiveness on the basis of His Son’s payment of our sin debt—and has removed our transgression “as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12). Is our refusal to forgive ourselves a way of saying we consider Christ’s sacrifice insufficient? In other words, is our standard of righteousness higher than the Lord’s?
Two men in Scripture teach us about the importance of accepting God’s full forgiveness. One is Peter, who denied knowing Christ, and the other is Paul, who persecuted Christians. The Bible gives no evidence that either one of them refused to forgive himself. Although their offenses were great and both men probably regretted their actions, they received God’s forgiveness and lived in the freedom of His grace.
To be free of an unforgiving spirit toward ourselves, we must realize it’s the result of self-focus. Instead of believing the truth of God’s forgiveness, we’ve been relying on our own feelings and making them superior to His Word. It’s time to humble ourselves and place trust in God—not in our feelings.
~Dr. Charles F. Stanley~
____________________________
Optimum maximum!
(Thomas Brooks)
Christians serve a wonderful Master.
They serve Him who is . . .
all ear to hear them,
all hand to uphold them,
all power to protect them,
all wisdom to direct them,
all goodness to relieve them,
all mercy to pardon them.
They serve that God who is optimum maximum--the best and greatest!
God has . . .
all dignity,
all glory,
all riches,
all treasure,
all pleasure,
all delight,
all joy, and
all beatitudes.
God is . . .
all goodness,
all beauty,
all power,
all wisdom,
all justice,
all mercy, and
all love itself!
God is one infinite perfection in Himself!
"He has all--who has the Haver of all!" (Αugustine)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.