The writing of this post was somewhat difficult because I had/have no words to truly define to working of the Lord in my heart throughout the semester, but my prayer is that what the Lord has begun to teach me will resonate with you and will cause you to worship our glorious Lord as it has caused me to. I repeat again the verses of my previous post.
Jeremiah 9:23-24,
“Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.”
These have been the unofficial theme verses of this semester. As Dr. Olson challenged us in our last chapel of the semester to share which attribute of God we have learned this semester and I thought back over the course of the sixteen weeks, the attribute of my Lord which I have seen most clearly could, perhaps, be best summed up as The Glory of God.
God is a God of glory. He is inherently glorious, and His glory is full and complete in itself. There is nothing that I can do to add to or detract from His glory. (Yes, there are ramifications and factors on the human level which I do not understand in their horizontal outworkings, but in the big picture, God’s glory is wholly separate from me.) That being said, I cannot “glorify God.” But God can manifest His glory through me (which may perhaps be perceived by others as my “glorifying God).” In words this may be confusing, but a definitive difference lies between the two concepts.
The God of all glory began teaching me of His glory throughout the semester through revealing the weakness, the impotence, of my own mind and heart. I struggled with focus more than I ever had before. It was not that I was sidetracked onto any other issue in particular, it was simply that my mind and my spirit were not continually seeking His face—my “default” setting was not Christ alone. This was a source of frustration to be throughout the semester, for I was arriving at the end of day after day frustrated and confused, deploring the fact that I had not worshipped my God worthily nor glorified Him by my life that day. Yet just as often as I sought His face, pouring out my grief at my failure and my frustration at not “glorifying Him,” He would give me to know that His glory did not depend on me and on what I thought glorified Him or not. His glory IS. What I think glorifies Him may not glorify Him at all, and what I do not think glorifies Him may be the very thing that He has ordained to bring Himself great glory. He is God. Whether I walk worthy, whether I seek, whether I am focused or not, whether I am in fellowship, God’s glory will be untouched. Therefore, the only possible response is to praise Him, to worship Him. Simply the fact that He is God demands that I worship Him. He is so great that I have no recourse but to worship. He will bring glory to Himself. He will work. He will do all things to the praise of His glory. Let me but worship. Because He is my God, my King, and my Friend. Because He is the only One for me.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Jeremiah 9:23-24
Jer. 9:23-24 "Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD."
These two verses sum up this semester for me. How the resident pride in me has fought for its life this semester--rearing its abominable head in facet after facet of my life. But the Lord was continually gracious to keep pointing out its root and its manifestations. These two verses have rung in my head as the standard of truth and right. At times, it seemed to be the only truth that remained in my mind. But what a glorious truth it is. He is the LORD. He is the God of lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness. He allows Himself to be known by even me. In Him alone I may glory.
So this is my testimony of praise to my God who has shown me His grace and has not cast away His servant, His child, due to struggle and sin, but has chosen to sanctify and mold and purge until--glorious thought--Christ is formed in me. "But we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." O how I long to stand at last before my Lord and to be like Him! O for my Heavenly Home! With Amy Carmichael I say, "Of all our prayers, this is the sum, 'O come, Lord Jesus, come'."
These two verses sum up this semester for me. How the resident pride in me has fought for its life this semester--rearing its abominable head in facet after facet of my life. But the Lord was continually gracious to keep pointing out its root and its manifestations. These two verses have rung in my head as the standard of truth and right. At times, it seemed to be the only truth that remained in my mind. But what a glorious truth it is. He is the LORD. He is the God of lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness. He allows Himself to be known by even me. In Him alone I may glory.
So this is my testimony of praise to my God who has shown me His grace and has not cast away His servant, His child, due to struggle and sin, but has chosen to sanctify and mold and purge until--glorious thought--Christ is formed in me. "But we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." O how I long to stand at last before my Lord and to be like Him! O for my Heavenly Home! With Amy Carmichael I say, "Of all our prayers, this is the sum, 'O come, Lord Jesus, come'."
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Thought for Meditation
Ps. 111:2-4
"The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. His work is honourable and glorious: and His righteousness endureth for ever. He hath made His wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion."
Who is like unto our God? Think upon Him.
"The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. His work is honourable and glorious: and His righteousness endureth for ever. He hath made His wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion."
Who is like unto our God? Think upon Him.
Isaiah 40:31
"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint."
A close friend and I discussed this passage the other day, and she brought out some thoughts that I had never considered before, but that I found to be very challenging and edifying. I share them now with you.
It is interesting to note the progression in the verse: "mount up with wings"-->"run and not be weary"-->"walk and not faint." In all three cases (whether one is soaring, running, or walking), it is the LORD Who gives the strength. Sometimes He gives us strength to soar; sometimes He gives us strength to run without growing weary; and sometimes He gives us just enough strength to walk and to not faint. He knows that we do not need to soar or to run. We need to slowly and painfully put one foot ahead of the other. We need to feel the rising faintness, and still, by His strength, not faint. We need to feel our desperate weakness. It is what we need. It is what He Who has our best interests at heart knows that we need most in order to know Him. We need strength to walk and not faint.
In times of walking, do we trust Him? Do we recognize that it is His strength which keeps us from fainting? Do we praise Him and worship Him and adore Him even as we do when by that same strength we soar with wings as eagles? Are we content to walk, and to let His strength be perfected in our weariness and weakness? Are we willing to accept His strength in times of walking, rather than proudly and coldly requesting to soar? What if walking is what we need right now? Do we take walking from His hand as readily and gratefully as mounting up with wings or running tirelessly? Let us trust our God supremely. Let us know Him and prove His faithfulness whether we soar, whether we run, or whether we walk without fainting.
A close friend and I discussed this passage the other day, and she brought out some thoughts that I had never considered before, but that I found to be very challenging and edifying. I share them now with you.
It is interesting to note the progression in the verse: "mount up with wings"-->"run and not be weary"-->"walk and not faint." In all three cases (whether one is soaring, running, or walking), it is the LORD Who gives the strength. Sometimes He gives us strength to soar; sometimes He gives us strength to run without growing weary; and sometimes He gives us just enough strength to walk and to not faint. He knows that we do not need to soar or to run. We need to slowly and painfully put one foot ahead of the other. We need to feel the rising faintness, and still, by His strength, not faint. We need to feel our desperate weakness. It is what we need. It is what He Who has our best interests at heart knows that we need most in order to know Him. We need strength to walk and not faint.
In times of walking, do we trust Him? Do we recognize that it is His strength which keeps us from fainting? Do we praise Him and worship Him and adore Him even as we do when by that same strength we soar with wings as eagles? Are we content to walk, and to let His strength be perfected in our weariness and weakness? Are we willing to accept His strength in times of walking, rather than proudly and coldly requesting to soar? What if walking is what we need right now? Do we take walking from His hand as readily and gratefully as mounting up with wings or running tirelessly? Let us trust our God supremely. Let us know Him and prove His faithfulness whether we soar, whether we run, or whether we walk without fainting.
Monday, October 02, 2006
Hunger and Thirst
"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness."
"I opened my mouth and panted, for I longed for Thy Commandments."
"Thy Words were found, and I did eat them, and Thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart."
"As the hart panteth for the water brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee."
Should I keep going?
"O God, Thou art my God, early will I seek Thee. My soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is."
"My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God."
"The desire of our soul is to Thy name and to the remembrance of Thee. With my soul have I desired Thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek Thee early:"
I could keep going on, but I think you understand. At least, I hope you do. O my friends, in a sense I hesitate to post this for fear of being redundant (a majority of my posts already deal with this topic), but I have to. I cannot write about anything else.
Knowing Christ. "...all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord..." All things. Loss. For Christ. Think about those words individually. Think about the passion that must grip your very soul before you can say those words truly with Paul. All things. Loss. So that I may know Christ. How can we not hunger and thirst after this? Two answers spring with equal speed to my thoughts: 1. Easily. 2. We cannot. Diametrically opposed answers. (Should this surprise me? No, not really.) The first answer would not have leaped to my mind so quickly three months ago. Why? Well, to my shame, I had begun to unwittingly walk in spiritual arrogance. It had been so long since the Lord had permitted me to go through a lengthy spiritually dry time, that I had begun to think that I sought the Lord, that I hungered and thirsted of my own volition. Ah, my foolishness! Ah, my pride! And so the Lord allowed me to go through the last two and a half months fighting for spiritual life in a heart that had suddenly gone cold and apathetic. My desire for the Word evaporated--there was none left. My joy in prayer diminished. My fellowship with my beloved Lord, became formal and/or forced. Just writing this down sends cold fingers of sorrow and dread around my heart. In myself, I cared less about spiritual things, but that tiny part of my heart would not be silent. That tiny part of my soul "still desired Him in the night." That part still had a desire to His name. That is why I was miserable. Miserable, yes; hungering and thirsting, no. And powerless to do so until my Lord did again implant that within me. And so I learned to do again what I had not done for several years: to seek without wanting to seek, to dig though I was finding no treasure, to show my Lord by my actions as well as my words that in the deepest part of me, I cannot live without Him. Until He rebuked and renewed and restored my soul two weeks ago. And the joy of restored fellowship? Indescribable. So, yes, it would be only too easy to not seek. But I still contest, how can we not seek? Knowing Christ. Everything in life comes down to that. Quote from Tozer: "God desires and is pleased to communicate with us through the avenues of our mids, our wills, and our emotions. The continuous and unembarrassed interchange of love and thought between God and the souls of redeemed men and women is the throbbing heart of the New Testament." May we go on to know Him--to truly know Him as He can be known. O be satisfied with nothing less! Know Christ! Hunger and thirst for Him. And you will be filled. He has promised it.
"I opened my mouth and panted, for I longed for Thy Commandments."
"Thy Words were found, and I did eat them, and Thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart."
"As the hart panteth for the water brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee."
Should I keep going?
"O God, Thou art my God, early will I seek Thee. My soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is."
"My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God."
"The desire of our soul is to Thy name and to the remembrance of Thee. With my soul have I desired Thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek Thee early:"
I could keep going on, but I think you understand. At least, I hope you do. O my friends, in a sense I hesitate to post this for fear of being redundant (a majority of my posts already deal with this topic), but I have to. I cannot write about anything else.
Knowing Christ. "...all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord..." All things. Loss. For Christ. Think about those words individually. Think about the passion that must grip your very soul before you can say those words truly with Paul. All things. Loss. So that I may know Christ. How can we not hunger and thirst after this? Two answers spring with equal speed to my thoughts: 1. Easily. 2. We cannot. Diametrically opposed answers. (Should this surprise me? No, not really.) The first answer would not have leaped to my mind so quickly three months ago. Why? Well, to my shame, I had begun to unwittingly walk in spiritual arrogance. It had been so long since the Lord had permitted me to go through a lengthy spiritually dry time, that I had begun to think that I sought the Lord, that I hungered and thirsted of my own volition. Ah, my foolishness! Ah, my pride! And so the Lord allowed me to go through the last two and a half months fighting for spiritual life in a heart that had suddenly gone cold and apathetic. My desire for the Word evaporated--there was none left. My joy in prayer diminished. My fellowship with my beloved Lord, became formal and/or forced. Just writing this down sends cold fingers of sorrow and dread around my heart. In myself, I cared less about spiritual things, but that tiny part of my heart would not be silent. That tiny part of my soul "still desired Him in the night." That part still had a desire to His name. That is why I was miserable. Miserable, yes; hungering and thirsting, no. And powerless to do so until my Lord did again implant that within me. And so I learned to do again what I had not done for several years: to seek without wanting to seek, to dig though I was finding no treasure, to show my Lord by my actions as well as my words that in the deepest part of me, I cannot live without Him. Until He rebuked and renewed and restored my soul two weeks ago. And the joy of restored fellowship? Indescribable. So, yes, it would be only too easy to not seek. But I still contest, how can we not seek? Knowing Christ. Everything in life comes down to that. Quote from Tozer: "God desires and is pleased to communicate with us through the avenues of our mids, our wills, and our emotions. The continuous and unembarrassed interchange of love and thought between God and the souls of redeemed men and women is the throbbing heart of the New Testament." May we go on to know Him--to truly know Him as He can be known. O be satisfied with nothing less! Know Christ! Hunger and thirst for Him. And you will be filled. He has promised it.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
He is able
The past couple of days, as I have been made acutely conscious of my own incapability in so many areas of my life, I have been vastly encouraged by the following meditations on our God.
The LORD is able to give thee much more than this.
Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us
God is able to make him stand.
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you;
Able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,
He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself.
He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.
He is able to succour them that are tempted.
Able to save...from death
He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God
Able to raise...up, even from the dead
Able to keep you from falling,
Able...to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
Believe ye that I am able to do this?...Yea, Lord….According to your faith be it unto you.
The LORD is able to give thee much more than this.
Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us
God is able to make him stand.
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you;
Able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,
He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself.
He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.
He is able to succour them that are tempted.
Able to save...from death
He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God
Able to raise...up, even from the dead
Able to keep you from falling,
Able...to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
Believe ye that I am able to do this?...Yea, Lord….According to your faith be it unto you.
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
The Attraction and "Only-ness" of Christ
“Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.”
This verse summarizes the attraction of Christ and the “only-ness” of Christ. On the one hand, we are drawn irresistibly to Him by who He is. On the other hand, we have no where else to go. We have no other option if we would know God, yet, had we other options, we would not choose them for we are fascinated by Him alone. This principle can be traced throughout all Scripture, and here are just a few of the verses and phrases that beautifully convey this two-sided, yet whole-hearted compulsion to the Lord and His Word. (In poor, but expressive, English, we could say concerning the pursuit of God: “We can’t not do it.”)
“O Thou that hearest prayer, to Thee shall all flesh come.”
“Yet Thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in My sight. Now therefore, I pray Thee, if I have found grace in Thy sight, shew me now Thy way, that I may know Thee, that I may find grace in Thy sight:…If Thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence….I beseech Thee, shew me Thy glory.” (For it would be far better to see His face and die, than to live never seeing His face.)
“Never man spake like this Man.”
“I lift up my soul unto Thee.”
“I stretch forth my hands unto Thee: my soul thirsteth after Thee, as a thirsty land.”
“I will draw all men unto Me.”
“I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.”
“And He closed the book, and He gave it to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on Him.”
“And all bare Him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth.”
“O God, Thou art my God; early will I seek Thee: my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; to see Thy power and Thy glory.”
“And let Thy work appear unto Thy servants, and Thy glory unto their children.” [Side-note: Connect this verse from Ps. 90 with John 17:24, “Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given me be with me where I am; that they may behold My glory which Thou hast given Me”—we pray that we may behold His glory; He prays that we may behold His glory. So one thing is sure: one day we will see His glory!]
“All men seek for Thee.”
“Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.”
“That I may know Him.”
“My soul followeth hard after Thee; Thy right hand upholdeth me.”
“Draw me; we will run after Thee.”
“Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.” (Because to be His in death would still greatly surpass belonging to the world in life.)
“For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy my body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.”
“Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.”
“Unto you therefore which believe He is precious.”
“Whom have I in Heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the Strength of my heart and my Portion forever.”
“Thou art my Portion, O LORD; I have said that I would keep Thy words.”
“I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in His Word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning; I say, more than they that watch for the morning.”
“And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the LORD, we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”
“Yea, in the way of Thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for Thee; the desire of our souls is to Thy name, and to the remembrance of Thee. With my soul have I desired Thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek Thee early:”
“I have chosen the way of truth; Thy judgments have I laid before me.”
“With my whole heart have I sought Thee; O let me not wander from Thy commandments.”
“And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the LORD.”
“Unto Thee lift I up mine eyes, O Thou that dwellest in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of the servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God.”
“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help.”
“I opened my mouth and panted, for I longed for Thy commandments.”
“I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.”
“On 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.”
“Sir, we would see Jesus.”
“And he (Zaccheus—a man who, to all human knowledge, should have had neither need nor desire for Christ) sought to see Jesus who He was.”
These verses are but a few examples from the many more that fill the Scriptures concerning the age-old quest to know the Almighty. Knowing God is a life-long pursuit. It touches the deepest recesses of the human soul, and from that one desire stem some of the most beautiful, yet heart-rending, prayers recorded in the Word of God. Ah, we can do nothing else. We have nowhere else to go. What conclusion may we draw from these things???
Our seeking God is still all of God. Consider the following:
“Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you.”
“But God commendeth His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
“We love Him because He first loved us.”
“When Thou saidst, Seek ye My face; my heart said unto Thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.”
“For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
All praise, then, to the glorious King of kings who hath called us unto Himself and continually draweth us nigh. Well may we cry with the Psalmist:
“Blessed it the man whom Thou choosest and causest to approach unto Thee, that he may dwell in Thy courts.”
What a magnificent Lord! May He in all things have the preeminence, for He alone is worthy.
This verse summarizes the attraction of Christ and the “only-ness” of Christ. On the one hand, we are drawn irresistibly to Him by who He is. On the other hand, we have no where else to go. We have no other option if we would know God, yet, had we other options, we would not choose them for we are fascinated by Him alone. This principle can be traced throughout all Scripture, and here are just a few of the verses and phrases that beautifully convey this two-sided, yet whole-hearted compulsion to the Lord and His Word. (In poor, but expressive, English, we could say concerning the pursuit of God: “We can’t not do it.”)
“O Thou that hearest prayer, to Thee shall all flesh come.”
“Yet Thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in My sight. Now therefore, I pray Thee, if I have found grace in Thy sight, shew me now Thy way, that I may know Thee, that I may find grace in Thy sight:…If Thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence….I beseech Thee, shew me Thy glory.” (For it would be far better to see His face and die, than to live never seeing His face.)
“Never man spake like this Man.”
“I lift up my soul unto Thee.”
“I stretch forth my hands unto Thee: my soul thirsteth after Thee, as a thirsty land.”
“I will draw all men unto Me.”
“I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.”
“And He closed the book, and He gave it to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on Him.”
“And all bare Him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth.”
“O God, Thou art my God; early will I seek Thee: my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; to see Thy power and Thy glory.”
“And let Thy work appear unto Thy servants, and Thy glory unto their children.” [Side-note: Connect this verse from Ps. 90 with John 17:24, “Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given me be with me where I am; that they may behold My glory which Thou hast given Me”—we pray that we may behold His glory; He prays that we may behold His glory. So one thing is sure: one day we will see His glory!]
“All men seek for Thee.”
“Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.”
“That I may know Him.”
“My soul followeth hard after Thee; Thy right hand upholdeth me.”
“Draw me; we will run after Thee.”
“Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.” (Because to be His in death would still greatly surpass belonging to the world in life.)
“For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy my body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.”
“Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.”
“Unto you therefore which believe He is precious.”
“Whom have I in Heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the Strength of my heart and my Portion forever.”
“Thou art my Portion, O LORD; I have said that I would keep Thy words.”
“I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in His Word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning; I say, more than they that watch for the morning.”
“And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the LORD, we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”
“Yea, in the way of Thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for Thee; the desire of our souls is to Thy name, and to the remembrance of Thee. With my soul have I desired Thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek Thee early:”
“I have chosen the way of truth; Thy judgments have I laid before me.”
“With my whole heart have I sought Thee; O let me not wander from Thy commandments.”
“And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the LORD.”
“Unto Thee lift I up mine eyes, O Thou that dwellest in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of the servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God.”
“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help.”
“I opened my mouth and panted, for I longed for Thy commandments.”
“I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.”
“On 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.”
“Sir, we would see Jesus.”
“And he (Zaccheus—a man who, to all human knowledge, should have had neither need nor desire for Christ) sought to see Jesus who He was.”
These verses are but a few examples from the many more that fill the Scriptures concerning the age-old quest to know the Almighty. Knowing God is a life-long pursuit. It touches the deepest recesses of the human soul, and from that one desire stem some of the most beautiful, yet heart-rending, prayers recorded in the Word of God. Ah, we can do nothing else. We have nowhere else to go. What conclusion may we draw from these things???
Our seeking God is still all of God. Consider the following:
“Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you.”
“But God commendeth His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
“We love Him because He first loved us.”
“When Thou saidst, Seek ye My face; my heart said unto Thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.”
“For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
All praise, then, to the glorious King of kings who hath called us unto Himself and continually draweth us nigh. Well may we cry with the Psalmist:
“Blessed it the man whom Thou choosest and causest to approach unto Thee, that he may dwell in Thy courts.”
What a magnificent Lord! May He in all things have the preeminence, for He alone is worthy.
Monday, July 03, 2006
Thoughts from Job 21:14
Reading in Job right now--here are some of this morning's meditations.
Job 21:14 (speaking of the wicked) “Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of Thy ways.” Just reading the words sends cold dread into my heart. Ah, what man could utter such words in the face of the Almighty? O the fear and the misery and desolation that would reside in my heart if I sought not the knowledge of God. For though I often stray by reason of my own willfulness, my love of my Self, and my lack of love for my God, yet, in the core of my being I desire the knowledge of Him more than aught else, and I am destitute and miserable when not walking with Him, when not enjoying intimate communion. Who can say unto God, “Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of Thy ways”? Thus is the heart of the wicked. Doth it not stand to reason then, that the heart of the righteous ought to be the complete opposite: “O come unto us, for we wholly desire the knowledge of Thy ways”? Even as it says in Ps. 10:4, “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.” It ought to be able to be said of the righteous: “The righteous, in humility of heart, shall ever seek after God: God is in all his thoughts.” The knowledge of Him, thoughts of Him, desire for Him ought to be the perpetual preoccupation of the lives of His own. For what else is there? Is there another pursuit worth giving the mind and thoughts and talents and skills and passion of our being to? Herein do we see that of which Paul spoke when he said, “This one thing I do.” The Lord told Martha, “One thing is needful.” David cried out, “One thing have I desired.” To the rich young ruler who had all else, Christ said, “One thing thou lackest,” and the lack of that “one thing” canceled every other asset he possessed. Herein is the necessity of having a single eye, of serving in singleness of heart as unto Christ, of loving the Lord our God with all. As Caleb and Joshua, we must wholly follow the Lord our God. Are we able to say “With my whole heart have I sought Thee”? When “the eyes of the Lord run to and fro in all the earth” does He find that my “heart is perfect toward Him”? How often doth the phrase “all your heart” occur in speaking of what is required of the man who would know and walk with the Almighty? Ah, let us not, let me not, be side-tracked from following “this one thing.” May I never, never harden my heart so that, as I skulk off into my own ways, it would whisper unto the Lord “Depart from [me]; for [I] desire not the knowledge of Thy ways.” O that God, my God, would keep me from devastating and destroying my soul in this manner. Rather, let me “walk after the LORD my God, and fear Him, and keep His commandments, and obey His voice, and serve Him, and cleave unto Him.”
Job 21:14 (speaking of the wicked) “Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of Thy ways.” Just reading the words sends cold dread into my heart. Ah, what man could utter such words in the face of the Almighty? O the fear and the misery and desolation that would reside in my heart if I sought not the knowledge of God. For though I often stray by reason of my own willfulness, my love of my Self, and my lack of love for my God, yet, in the core of my being I desire the knowledge of Him more than aught else, and I am destitute and miserable when not walking with Him, when not enjoying intimate communion. Who can say unto God, “Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of Thy ways”? Thus is the heart of the wicked. Doth it not stand to reason then, that the heart of the righteous ought to be the complete opposite: “O come unto us, for we wholly desire the knowledge of Thy ways”? Even as it says in Ps. 10:4, “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.” It ought to be able to be said of the righteous: “The righteous, in humility of heart, shall ever seek after God: God is in all his thoughts.” The knowledge of Him, thoughts of Him, desire for Him ought to be the perpetual preoccupation of the lives of His own. For what else is there? Is there another pursuit worth giving the mind and thoughts and talents and skills and passion of our being to? Herein do we see that of which Paul spoke when he said, “This one thing I do.” The Lord told Martha, “One thing is needful.” David cried out, “One thing have I desired.” To the rich young ruler who had all else, Christ said, “One thing thou lackest,” and the lack of that “one thing” canceled every other asset he possessed. Herein is the necessity of having a single eye, of serving in singleness of heart as unto Christ, of loving the Lord our God with all. As Caleb and Joshua, we must wholly follow the Lord our God. Are we able to say “With my whole heart have I sought Thee”? When “the eyes of the Lord run to and fro in all the earth” does He find that my “heart is perfect toward Him”? How often doth the phrase “all your heart” occur in speaking of what is required of the man who would know and walk with the Almighty? Ah, let us not, let me not, be side-tracked from following “this one thing.” May I never, never harden my heart so that, as I skulk off into my own ways, it would whisper unto the Lord “Depart from [me]; for [I] desire not the knowledge of Thy ways.” O that God, my God, would keep me from devastating and destroying my soul in this manner. Rather, let me “walk after the LORD my God, and fear Him, and keep His commandments, and obey His voice, and serve Him, and cleave unto Him.”
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Worship
This is an incomplete essay on worship that started as a prayer entry in my journal and evolved into what it is now as I began to actually think of the word "Worship." The essay is incomplete because I have no grasp on the topic at all, simply the beginnings for much more meditation and consideration and prayer as the Lord works this in my life. So here is the way the Lord is beginning to work in this area in my life.
Worship. Worship is due Thee, O God. Thou alone art worthy of worship. Worship is a strong word. The dictionary defines it as: to treat somebody or something as divine and show respect by engaging in acts of prayer and devotion; to love, admire, or respect somebody or something greatly and perhaps excessively or unquestioningly; the adoration, devotion, and respect given to a deity; the rites or services through which people show their adoration, devotion, and respect for a deity; great or excessive love, admiration, and respect felt for somebody or something. Also (other dictionary): reverence toward a divine being or supernatural power; the expression of such reverence; extravagant respect or admiration or devotion; worthiness, respect, reverence paid to a divine being; to honor or reverence as a divine being or supernatural power; idolize. The only synonyms offered are: adore and venerate. In Scripture, in the word “worship” or variants thereof are used 188 times. Scripture at times defines word for us (faith, eternal life, condemnation, etc.), but not so with worship. Why? Perhaps because by the very way that God created us, we know innately what worship is. Worship is at the core of our being. Worship is that within us which, by its very strength and intensity towards its fixed object, regulates our behavior, our thoughts, our actions, and our reactions. The last of these is perhaps the most telling—reactions. For, like worship, my reactions come from the center of my being. If, in the deepest recesses of my heart, my worship is directed towards any object other than the one True and Worthy God, when I react, the misplaced adoration will spill forth, revealing the barren ugliness of a soul that is not sourced in the Spring of Living Water. Even in the mind, I can distinguish the object of my worship according to my mental reactions. When a blessing is poured out, does my mind leap to praise my God, the source of this blessing, before it proceeds to tell others? When I am hurt, do I run to the phone to sob out my woes to a friend, or it is it straightway, “I must talk with my Lord”? When I am lonely, to whom does my mind first turn to relieve its solitude? The object of my worship will determine the answer to all these questions. Worship of anything other than God is misplaced. Humans are wired in such a way that we must worship something. Our souls require us to choose something to be our supreme desire, something around which are lives will revolve. Our lives orbit around our souls and at the center of our soul there is that vacuum which demands to be filled. What we worship is what we attempt to place in the vacuum, and this fact should clarify why God alone is worthy of worship. If we were to scrutinize that horrible vacuum which we have tried so desperately to fill with our Self, our possessions, other people, and so on, we would find that it is, as one author said, “God-shaped.” In other words, God alone can satisfy every single, aching abyss of the human soul. If only God is great enough to satiate the soul, then surely He ought to be the only Object of the soul’s adoration. The soul must, then, center around God to such an extent that its consuming passion for this Glorious Being regulates the entire sphere of that soul’s life. Worship. Worship God. Yea, even, so for He alone is worthy.
Worship: the response of my soul when God is in His proper position as Center and Sovereign of my life.
"Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at His footstool, for He is holy." Ps. 99:5
Worship. Worship is due Thee, O God. Thou alone art worthy of worship. Worship is a strong word. The dictionary defines it as: to treat somebody or something as divine and show respect by engaging in acts of prayer and devotion; to love, admire, or respect somebody or something greatly and perhaps excessively or unquestioningly; the adoration, devotion, and respect given to a deity; the rites or services through which people show their adoration, devotion, and respect for a deity; great or excessive love, admiration, and respect felt for somebody or something. Also (other dictionary): reverence toward a divine being or supernatural power; the expression of such reverence; extravagant respect or admiration or devotion; worthiness, respect, reverence paid to a divine being; to honor or reverence as a divine being or supernatural power; idolize. The only synonyms offered are: adore and venerate. In Scripture, in the word “worship” or variants thereof are used 188 times. Scripture at times defines word for us (faith, eternal life, condemnation, etc.), but not so with worship. Why? Perhaps because by the very way that God created us, we know innately what worship is. Worship is at the core of our being. Worship is that within us which, by its very strength and intensity towards its fixed object, regulates our behavior, our thoughts, our actions, and our reactions. The last of these is perhaps the most telling—reactions. For, like worship, my reactions come from the center of my being. If, in the deepest recesses of my heart, my worship is directed towards any object other than the one True and Worthy God, when I react, the misplaced adoration will spill forth, revealing the barren ugliness of a soul that is not sourced in the Spring of Living Water. Even in the mind, I can distinguish the object of my worship according to my mental reactions. When a blessing is poured out, does my mind leap to praise my God, the source of this blessing, before it proceeds to tell others? When I am hurt, do I run to the phone to sob out my woes to a friend, or it is it straightway, “I must talk with my Lord”? When I am lonely, to whom does my mind first turn to relieve its solitude? The object of my worship will determine the answer to all these questions. Worship of anything other than God is misplaced. Humans are wired in such a way that we must worship something. Our souls require us to choose something to be our supreme desire, something around which are lives will revolve. Our lives orbit around our souls and at the center of our soul there is that vacuum which demands to be filled. What we worship is what we attempt to place in the vacuum, and this fact should clarify why God alone is worthy of worship. If we were to scrutinize that horrible vacuum which we have tried so desperately to fill with our Self, our possessions, other people, and so on, we would find that it is, as one author said, “God-shaped.” In other words, God alone can satisfy every single, aching abyss of the human soul. If only God is great enough to satiate the soul, then surely He ought to be the only Object of the soul’s adoration. The soul must, then, center around God to such an extent that its consuming passion for this Glorious Being regulates the entire sphere of that soul’s life. Worship. Worship God. Yea, even, so for He alone is worthy.
Worship: the response of my soul when God is in His proper position as Center and Sovereign of my life.
"Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at His footstool, for He is holy." Ps. 99:5
Saturday, April 08, 2006
That I may Know Him
That I may Know Him
"That I may know Him"--this my cry;
O grant me this or else I die:
To know the High and Lofty One,
To know the Well-Beloved Son,
To know God's own Annointed King,
That I may kneel and worship bring.
That I may know Him in His Word--
"Seek ye My face" the call I heard:
To know the Holy, Righteous One,
To know the Glorious, Mighty Son,
To know the beauty of the Lord,
That I may bow with praise out poured.
That I may know Him! O my God,
My feet are planted in this sod,
But heart doth burn and soul doth yearn,
My being aches, my spirit breaks
To know Thee--more of Thee to learn.
I'll gladly give whate'er it takes.
That I may know Thee--let it be!
Transform me. Make me just like Thee.
My Lord, I long to see Thy face;
I want to know Thee. By Thy grace,
Give me a passion to pursue
The love of Thee, till Thee I view.
This poem and this blog are based on Paul's twin desires, expressed in Philippians, to know God and to be with God. I pray that all those who ever visit this blog will be challenged to know and to love God with all the passion of their being.
"That I may know Him"--this my cry;
O grant me this or else I die:
To know the High and Lofty One,
To know the Well-Beloved Son,
To know God's own Annointed King,
That I may kneel and worship bring.
That I may know Him in His Word--
"Seek ye My face" the call I heard:
To know the Holy, Righteous One,
To know the Glorious, Mighty Son,
To know the beauty of the Lord,
That I may bow with praise out poured.
That I may know Him! O my God,
My feet are planted in this sod,
But heart doth burn and soul doth yearn,
My being aches, my spirit breaks
To know Thee--more of Thee to learn.
I'll gladly give whate'er it takes.
That I may know Thee--let it be!
Transform me. Make me just like Thee.
My Lord, I long to see Thy face;
I want to know Thee. By Thy grace,
Give me a passion to pursue
The love of Thee, till Thee I view.
This poem and this blog are based on Paul's twin desires, expressed in Philippians, to know God and to be with God. I pray that all those who ever visit this blog will be challenged to know and to love God with all the passion of their being.
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