Monday's Musings

Psalm 139:13-18, “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴ Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. ¹⁵ You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. ¹⁶ You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book.  Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. ¹⁷ How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! ¹⁸ I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me! (NLT) (Emphasis Added)

You just read the scripture passage that I shared at New River on Sunday. This declaration of Truth as well as these words of inspiration spoke volumes to my heart this past week. As a matter of fact it is still speaking Truth and Revelation to me this morning. Aren't you grateful that the Word of God is not some "out of date" book but that it is "alive" and relevant even in this day and time? It seems that so many of us work so hard to earn God's love while it also appears that far too man of us have trouble believing that God could love me simply because I am just me!! The Love of God is unfathomable yet He chooses to reveal His love, care and concern on a daily basis to any and every one who will choose to accept His love. 

I read these words written by Craig Denison this morning. "When we work tirelessly to build up a false self so that we can receive affirmation from others, we never truly experience love. For our false self to be loved is not truly love at all because we constantly have the thought, 'If they really knew me, they wouldn't love me.'" People cannot truly love us until they know our true selves." We spend so much time trying to prove to God as well as prove to others our "personal worth or value" that we miss many opportunities to love and be loved. 

This attitude can and does hinder the development of our relationship with God. This does not mean that we do not need to depend on God to transform or change us into the best person that we can become. But let us remember that this is His work and not mine. My responsibility is to present myself to God as a "living sacrifice" and allow Him through the Spirit and the Word to complete His process of transformation. There is such a joy and strength to walk in fellowship with God and with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. This type of fellowship with God and with man opens the door that we might come along side of one another during this journey of life. Our life with God becomes one that glorifies God and edifies (builds up) the Body of Christ.

Prayer of the day: Dear God, reveal to me anything that is hindering my relationship with You as well as hindering my relationship with my brothers and sisters in Christ. Amen!!