With the challenges of Christian life, what are we passing on to others around us? Do we know who God really is?
This week in an effort to know God I am going to be more intentional about my devotions. The sitting down and just reading is great, it's important, but I want more. I need desperately to know this God that we pray to work for and are supposed to teach our kids about. No matter how often in my life I've thought "I totally understand God" I am beginning to realize it has never been true. I really don't know God like I would like to. I don't understand the depths and heights and lengths of his love, chances are I never will. But I do know that I can make an effort to know him better. We all know that every relationship begins with getting to know each other. So here is the beginning. . .
To know God as I am reading I am going to start taking special notice of where God is mentioned in the script I read. For example:
Romans 11:33-36 reads ~
Oh, the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements and unfathomable his ways!
For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor?
or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to Him again?
For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
Do you see him? Do you see how this passage describes who God is?
The first part praises him for his knowledge and wisdom, tells of his character in how we will never fully see it all at once. The next asks why we think we know when we don't. The third asks why we think it was us who brought us what we have. The fourth explains who did, God. He created all, Sustains all, and Owns all. That is why we need to glorify him.
That is how I am trying to read the text from now on. What does the text say about the God of the universe?
My hope is that by reading it this way, I will come to have a better understanding of who God is and what he has to say to me.
Which brings me to part two of my new study method. Life application.My life is supposed to mirror Christ to the world around me. Does it always? Do I truly show God to the world? The first step is to know who God is the next is to apply his attributes to my life.
In the passage above it states that the Lord knows all and has wisdom beyond what I can even imagine. So in my time of need, God already knew. I can have peace in the fact that God knows what comes next too. How many people can we say that about? and If he already knows and is wise who should I turn to for the answers? God's word. The Bible tells us that we cannot counsel the Lord, but he can most certainly counsel us! The next reminds us that He gave us what we have, even that which He takes away. We have nothing without him.Which also means we have all through him. We shouldn't worry about anything because he holds the future. He will sustain us.
Now if I apply this to my life. Say that giant bill that looms that I have no idea how to pay, or even the Job applications my husband hasn't heard back from. The possibility of a move. None of these things should worry my or trouble me. God knows, God has a plan to pay that bill, the perfect place for us to live is already in the works and God will hand Daddy-O the job he needs when the time is right. So what do I do? Relax! Rest in him and let him take care of it. Makes it so easy right? But only if I truly throw it on him. If I worry and fret and dwell on the maybe's I dwindle away that precious time Jesus is giving me to rest. What does my obedience look like to the rest of the world that needs to see God? Guess what? They can see him! When I obey the Lord and rest, they see the peace of Christ surrounding me. How cool is that?
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