"And if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the LORD your God." -Deuteronomy 28:1-2
Getting into your car to see a full tank of gas when you left only drops in it the last time you parked is just such a wonderful surprise. The following was the exchange that followed once I had learned of such a gift waiting for me at the end of the driveway....
Me: "Thanks for filling up the tank Dad!"
Dad: "Thanks for letting me barrow your car"
Me: "Uhh, ummm...."
Dad: "It would have been hard to fill the tank without it"
Me: "Hmm, there's something deeper to that...this is going to show up on the blog once I figure it out"
Isn't this how God operates? We do absolutely nothing to deserve his blessings. He asks us to hand over our lives in full obedience then blesses them in return. Just like it works best to fill the tank if you're able to take the actual car, God's design is that we hand over our lives so that he can fill up our hearts. Praise the Lord for blessing obedience and being faithful to fill when we're willing to surrender!
Monday, February 27, 2012
Saturday, February 25, 2012
No Requirements
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations." -Jeremiah 1:5
Pastor Steven Furtick preached on this passage and his catch line for it was "cancel the audition." I love that image so much because in a world where everything requires something, God offers his unwarranted love and purpose for our lives. He didn't even give us the chance to try to prove ourselves (as if that were even possible). He decided the role we'll plan in this life "in the womb." In the midst of a life wherein we're told we're not good enough, not qualified enough, not put together enough, we can rejoice in the reality of grace and mercy extended to us, not to tell us that we are, but to love us in spite of the fact that we are not.
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations." -Jeremiah 1:5
Pastor Steven Furtick preached on this passage and his catch line for it was "cancel the audition." I love that image so much because in a world where everything requires something, God offers his unwarranted love and purpose for our lives. He didn't even give us the chance to try to prove ourselves (as if that were even possible). He decided the role we'll plan in this life "in the womb." In the midst of a life wherein we're told we're not good enough, not qualified enough, not put together enough, we can rejoice in the reality of grace and mercy extended to us, not to tell us that we are, but to love us in spite of the fact that we are not.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
You Just Can't Do Them Both
"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's." -Psalm 103:1-5
I was driving back to school last weekend, blaring some Jesus jams and singing in my usual ear-piercing worship voice, when the car coming the opposite direction cut in front of me at the very last second, trust me when I say it was a close one. Normally, I'd at least mutter an angry "come onnnnn," but there simply was no room in the song to stop singing in order to give that guy a piece of my mind. I guess you can't complain and praise at the same time. I wonder if that concept couldn't infect the rest of our lives. I want to gaze on the wonder of my Savior every day so much that there's just no room in my heart for complaints.
Here's the song I was jam'n to...
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's." -Psalm 103:1-5
I was driving back to school last weekend, blaring some Jesus jams and singing in my usual ear-piercing worship voice, when the car coming the opposite direction cut in front of me at the very last second, trust me when I say it was a close one. Normally, I'd at least mutter an angry "come onnnnn," but there simply was no room in the song to stop singing in order to give that guy a piece of my mind. I guess you can't complain and praise at the same time. I wonder if that concept couldn't infect the rest of our lives. I want to gaze on the wonder of my Savior every day so much that there's just no room in my heart for complaints.
Here's the song I was jam'n to...
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
More than a box of cholocate
"Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you" -Isaiah 43:4
Everyone's got their own take on Valentine's day. Whether you're married, engaged, in a relationship, single, or otherwise, know that you are loved by the God of all creation, held by the hands that created the heavens, and saved by the blood of the Savior who knows you so personally. Enjoy the intimacy of Isaiah 43:4 brothers and sisters, because God showed us his love through the gift of his Son, and that's a whole lot more precious than a box of chocolates.
Everyone's got their own take on Valentine's day. Whether you're married, engaged, in a relationship, single, or otherwise, know that you are loved by the God of all creation, held by the hands that created the heavens, and saved by the blood of the Savior who knows you so personally. Enjoy the intimacy of Isaiah 43:4 brothers and sisters, because God showed us his love through the gift of his Son, and that's a whole lot more precious than a box of chocolates.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Already Finished with Tomorrow
"The LORD your God who goes before you will himself fight for you" -Deuteronomy 1:30
Ever have one of those nights when you're just not really looking forward to what tomorrow has to bring? I love this scripture! It reminds me that our God is the beginning, the end, and everything in between. He already overcame tomorrow. When what's ahead seems daunting, jump onto the shoulders of the one who created the road and knows every twist and turn to come.
Ever have one of those nights when you're just not really looking forward to what tomorrow has to bring? I love this scripture! It reminds me that our God is the beginning, the end, and everything in between. He already overcame tomorrow. When what's ahead seems daunting, jump onto the shoulders of the one who created the road and knows every twist and turn to come.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
15 Hours for a 20 Question Quiz
"Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had experienced in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun." -Ecclesiastes 2:11
I plopped back down into my chair in slight exhaustion after having turned in the quiz I had been studying for for the past four or five days. I turned to my dear fellow nursing student, and after we had over-analyzed the various problematic questions and discussed the quiz's level of overall difficulty, I said "How long did you study for that?" She said, "15 hours," I said, "yeah...I wish I hadn't studied that much." She echoed my sentiments, and I sat there pensively and said..."we studied for 15 hours for a 20 question quiz," shaking my head as the reality of all of that toil hit me.
I feel like this often. King Solomon nailed it in this scripture. So often we struggle and toil over the little things of this world when we have an entire eternity awaiting us. I'm not saying throw in the towel, set up camp on the couch, and think about heaven, but rather maybe I'm struggling with the possibility that the things in my life that I give the greatest attention aren't deserving of it at all.
Maybe it's time to start living for eternity and realizing that no matter the level of success or happiness that we find here, this world has nothing but fleeting wind to offer us.
I plopped back down into my chair in slight exhaustion after having turned in the quiz I had been studying for for the past four or five days. I turned to my dear fellow nursing student, and after we had over-analyzed the various problematic questions and discussed the quiz's level of overall difficulty, I said "How long did you study for that?" She said, "15 hours," I said, "yeah...I wish I hadn't studied that much." She echoed my sentiments, and I sat there pensively and said..."we studied for 15 hours for a 20 question quiz," shaking my head as the reality of all of that toil hit me.
I feel like this often. King Solomon nailed it in this scripture. So often we struggle and toil over the little things of this world when we have an entire eternity awaiting us. I'm not saying throw in the towel, set up camp on the couch, and think about heaven, but rather maybe I'm struggling with the possibility that the things in my life that I give the greatest attention aren't deserving of it at all.
Maybe it's time to start living for eternity and realizing that no matter the level of success or happiness that we find here, this world has nothing but fleeting wind to offer us.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)