Friday... But it is just for us.

We have a tendency to think that we are the only ones that God loves. I mean the Bible is in English but the truth is it didn't start that way. It was translated from its original language into English. We are not the only ones who matter to God even though we think we are.

We seem to think that COVID was just in the United States but it was all over the world. We really can have a high opinion of our worth even though Christ died for all of the world.

Now Psalm 65:8-9a (NLT) which was originally written in Hebrew says, "Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders. From where the sun rises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy. You take care of the earth and water it, making it rich and fertile." We tend to think that God only takes care of us but he takes care of the whole earth. So is there a danger in us only caring for us and our needs?

Now maybe we need to sit back and realize that God doesn't just bless us but he blesses those who serve him no matter where they live. He may even bless your neighbor. They also matter to him.

The Amplified Bible says in verse 8, "So they who dwell at the ends of the earth stand in awe of Your signs [the evidence of Your presence]. You make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy." Maybe we are not doing our part in acknowledging how good God is and standing in awe of his signs. Maybe we need to stop and see what he is doing in our lives, how he is blessing and then shout with joy for what he doing and not just take it for granted. Again, it is so easy to just expect God to bless us and take him for granted.

Verse 9 in the NIV says, "You are for the land and water it, you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it."

Yes we matter to God but so does everyone in the world and he provides for us so let's acknowledge that and not take it for granted just because of where we live. Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning

Comments

Tuesday... I wonder what would happen if we didn't take the credit?

Nehemiah 6:16b (NLT), "They realized this work had been done with the help of our God." Tuesday... I wonder what would happen if we didn't take the credit? Over in the Old Testament in the book of Nehemiah it tells of a major task that through the leadership of Nehemiah was accomplished. The walls of Jerusalem had been torn down and God had laid it on Nehemiah to build those walls back up. It was definitely an almost impossible task but Nehemiah 6:15-16 says, "So on October 2 the wall was finished - just fifty-two days after we had begun. When our enemies and the surrounding nations heard about it, they were frightened and humiliated. They realized this work had been done with the help of our God." Now, we so many times want to take credit for doing the impossible. It would make such a difference for us. But I wonder what would happen through us if God got the credit? Psalm 96 tells us what we are to do. Verses 2-3 says, "Sing to the LORD; praise his name. ...

Tuesday... We just have trouble listening.

1 Corinthians 13:7 (NLT), "Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." Tuesday... We just have trouble listening. Over in Jeremiah 25:4 (NLT) it says, "Again and again the LORD has sent you his servants, the prophets, but you have not listened or even paid attention." And Jeremiah went on to tell what was going to happen. There will be consequences if we do not listen to what God says through his Word. Now the Apostle Paul over in 1 Corinthians was having a problem with some professed Christ followers who were having trouble at listening. And we too can have problems at listening. We can think that being a Christ follower means we do a lot of finger pointing and we give up on people who don't do what we say. We can even do that in our families. But Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:7 (NLT), "Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." In verse ...

Thursday... Yet, now this is true.

Colossians 1:22a (NLT), "Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body." Thursday... Yet, now this is true. Now Paul a prisoner in Rome is writing a letter to a church in Colossae. And in Colossians 1:21 (MSG) he says, "Once you were alienated from God and were hostile in your minds, engaging in evil deeds" The NLT says "This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated by your evil thoughts and actions." And that is where so many in this world live today. They are blowing it and they don't know what to do. Yes, they are hostile in their minds and they are engaging in evil deeds but there is Good News. Now Paul in verses 19-20 sets the stage for an answer to those who don't want to live that way. He says, "For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and earth b...

Today's Beginning

Search This Blog