Month: March 2016

“And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath give us an understanding that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.” I John 5:20

What must have been going through Jesus’s mind on that week prior to Easter morning so long ago? In the hours of agony leading up to the moment in which He bore my sin, what must have crossed his mind? Did he look down through time and love me just as I am ? Did he see all that I am and all that I could be? Did he long to reach out and secure me in his love so that I might truly comprehend the true extent of his gift to me? What thoughts were upon the mind of God as he watched his only Son in my place upon the cross? How he must have loved me, yearning for me to see even just in part the true magnitude of his great love for me. How does he feel today when I fail to see the incredible gift that he has given to me through the death of his Son? Not just the gift of eternal life in the future, but the gift of life today.

“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” I Corinthians 13:12

“I am known” . . .  I paused as I read those words, trying to capture the true extent of just what that meant. “I am known” by the Father of all Creation, the Master of the Universe; because of the work of Jesus Christ on the cross and my faith in that work that has been completed . . . “I am known” !!!

“But if any man love God; the same is known of him.” I Corinthians 8:3

“O Lord, thou has searched me, and known me.” Psalm 139:1

Yet, so many times I fail to remember the confidence that I have in and through my Savior. I return to the bondage of a life that is full of doubt and fail to rely on the one that “knows me”.

“But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?” Galatians 4:9

As I reflect upon the week before the resurrection that occurred on Easter morning, I will reflect upon the fact that “I am know”. I will rest confident in Christ’s finished work upon the cross and I will be reminded of the confidence that I have in him.

“And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath give us an understanding that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.” I John 5:20

Watching the birds flitter about as the sun starts to shine through the clouds, I pause to consider the fact that God, the creator of the universe thinks about me just as He considers the birds of the field.

“Consider the ravens; for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than fowls.” Luke 12: 24

Its really a staggering thought . . . why would the supreme being of all things great contemplate my comings and goings in the smallness of my existence? Why would He spend time watching over me; providing for my every need, giving me strength to face each new day? In His word He expresses that His thoughts are toward us.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11

The God of Heaven thinks of me  . . .  His thoughts are of peace . . . His thoughts are of my eternal value . . . He looks forward to an “expected end’ when I will be with Him in Heaven. He longs to be a part of my life, to share each moment of each day with me.

“How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!” Psalm 139:17

Everything that God does is to bring about goodness in and through my life. Even in His creation of the Earth and the establishment of life, He set out to provide for me. Never in my wildest imaginations will my thoughts ever be equal to the magnitude of His thoughts. I can not comprehend even in the smallest sense how the mind of God works.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater.” Isaiah 55: 8-10

Daily, God supplies my every need, in fact He knows what I have need of before the need even comes to be. Each new day that dawns has already been written in the mind of God, He sees all and knows all.

“Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” Matthew 6:8

When I pause to reflect on the truths found in His word and evidenced in all of creation, I begin to question why I would ever fear the day ahead or doubt the provision of my Heavenly Father. I can greet each new day with the assurance that “God Thinks of Me”, He knows the path ahead and has provided all the resources necessary for me to reach my “expected end”.

“Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou has done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.” Psalm 40:5

As I sat and listened in the quiet of the morning with coffee cup in hand, my Bible upon my knee, I heard the sweet melody of birds singing outside my window. In my heart I began to feel an inner sense of renewal; renewal of life, as the evidence of spring reminded me that the harshness of winter is past. God spoke to me heart through His word . . .

“My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone: The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.” Song of Solomon 2: 10-13.

Looking through the window I can see the signs of spring all around me. The budding flowers in sharp contrast to the drabness left behind by winter’s touch. The birds are flittering about in excitement as they give witness to the coming of spring. I feel a tug upon my heart as I am reminded of the signs  of God’s renewal springing forth unto His glory in my heart and life as I see His hand at work bringing forth new life. I close my eyes and reflect upon His goodness, I breathe in the wonder of just how mighty my God really is feeling His power working within me.

“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory; may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power.” Ephesians 1:17-19

I feel the renewal of spring in my heart and the realization that “winter is past”.

Some days are just harder than others to find my song, those are the days that I need to pause and take the time to just be still. I need to breathe in the goodness of God, feel his loving touch in the sunshine upon my face and experience his presence  as it engulfs me through His word. I need to break away from the sounds of the world that threaten to deafen me and the burdens that are heavy upon me. I need to spend time reaching out to a loving Father, the creator of the universe who is my refuge; seeking Him through time spent in His word.

“The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.” Psalms 9:9-10

He is my hiding place when I need a place to go to get away from the struggles of this life. He never forsakes me, in Him I can find rest for my soul.

“I will praise thee, O Lord with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice, in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most high.” Psalms 9:1-2

When I lose my song, when I feel like giving up and I grow weary, God is there to hold me and to renew me. He stands up for me when I am unable to stand up for myself, he saves me from the troubles that come my way.

“Have mercy upon me, O Lord: consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death: That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation.” Psalms 9: 13-14

When I wait patiently to hear His voice He will hear my cry and bring me to a renewed sense of His presence. He can give me a song, even when I don’t feel like singing.

“I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak them, they are more than can be numbered.” Psalms 40:1-5

When we pause and reflect, when we look to God rather than man, we will see God’s marvelous works that can not be numbered and all of the struggles of this world that work to bring us down will fade away. Our hearts will begin to see God for who he is, the one who is worthy of all our praise. In our thoughts of praise toward Him we will find our song.

“Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.” Psalms 9:11 

So, today I will focus on God rather than man, remembering that my song comes from God and can only be found in Him 🙂  . . .  And, thus I will sing 🙂